Use of acylsulfonamides for improving plant yield

ABSTRACT

Compounds (A) can be used for increasing the yield of useful plants or crop plants with respect to their harvested plant organs, wherein the Compound (A) is selected from compounds of the formula (I) or salts thereof, 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
         
         wherein the symbols are defined as in claim  1,    
         preferably cyprosulfamide [Compound (A1)].

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Divisional application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 14/344,391, filed Sep. 18, 2014, which is a § 371 NationalStage Application of PCT/EP2012/068096, filed Sep. 14, 2012, whichclaims priority to EP 11181702.9, filed Sep. 16, 2011. Each of theseapplications is incorporated by reference in its entirety

BACKGROUND Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the use of certain compounds [Compounds(A)] for the treatment of crop plants for inducing specific growthregulating responses on the plants, on seeds from which they grow or onthe locus in which they grow in their normal habitat, preferably in theabsence of extraordinary environmental conditions.

The term “method for plant growth regulation” or the term “growthregulation process” or the use of the words “plant growth regulation” orother terms using the word “regulate” as used in instant specificationrelate to a variety of plant responses that improve some characteristicof the plant. “Plant growth regulators” are compounds which possessactivity in one or more growth regulation process(es) of a plant. Plantgrowth regulation is distinguished here from pesticidal action or growthreduction, sometimes also defined as a plant growth regulation, theintention of which, however, is to destroy or stunt the growth of aplant. For this reason, the compounds used in the practice of thisinvention are used in amounts which are non-phytotoxic with respect tothe plant being treated but which stimulate the growth of the plant orcertain parts thereof. Therefore, such compounds may also be called“plant stimulants”, their action may be named “plant growthstimulation”.

Plant growth regulation is a desirable way to improve plants and theircropping so as to obtain improved plant growth and better conditions inagriculture practice compared to non-treated plants. These kinds ofmolecules can either inhibit or promote cellular activities. This meansthat plant growth regulators identified in plants most often regulatedivision, elongation and differentiation of plant cells in a way that,most often, they have multiple effects in plants. The trigger event canbe seen to be different in plants in comparison to the one known fromanimals.

Description of Related Art

On the molecular level, plant growth regulators may work by affectingmembrane properties, controlling gene expression or affecting enzymeactivity or being active in a combination of at least two of the beforementioned types of interaction. Plant growth regulators are chemicalseither of natural origin, also called plant hormones (like non-peptidehormones e.g. auxins, giberrellins, cytokinins, ethylene,brassinosteroids or abscisic acid, and salicilic acid),lipooligosaccharides (e.g. Nod factors), peptides (e.g. systemin), fattyacid derivatives (e.g. jasmonates), and oligosaccharins (for review see:Biochemistry & Molecular Biology of the Plant (2000); eds. Buchanan,Gruissem, Jones, pp. 558-562; and 850-929), or they can be syntheticallyproduced compounds (like derivatives of naturally occurring plant growthhormones, ethephon). Plant growth regulators which work at very smallconcentrations can be found in many cells and tissues, but they seem tobe concentrated in meristems and buds.

The mode of action of existing plant growth regulators is often notknown. Various targets are discussed and among those, most of theaffected molecules are involved in cell division regulation, likearresting the cell cycle in stage G1 or G2, respectively, others forsignaling drought stress responses (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology ofthe Plant (2000); eds. Buchanan, Gruissem, Jones, pp. 558-560). In anycase, the hormone control can be identified as an extremely complexcascade of up and down regulations which, for example, can lead to agrowth stimulation of one organ or cell typus of a plant but also canlead to a repression in other organs or cell types of the same plant.

In many cases, kinases are involved either directly or indirectly inplant hormone control and among the kinases, protein kinases are centraland highly specific control molecules in respect to cell cycle control.Such kinases are discussed as targets for several plant hormones, as itis the case for auxin and abscisic acid (Biochemistry & MolecularBiology of the Plant (2000); eds. Buchanan, Gruissem, Jones, pp. 542-565and pp. 980-985; Morgan (1997), Annu. Rev. Cell. Dev. Biol., 13,261-291; Amon et al. (1993), Cell, 74, pp. 993-1007; Dynlacht et al.(1997), Nature, 389, pp. 149-152; Hunt and Nasmyth (1997), Curr. Opin.Cell. Biol., 9, pp. 765-767; Thomas and Hall (1997), Curr. Opin. CellBiol., 9, pp. 782-787). The preparation and use of 2-amino-6-oxypurinederivatives as plant growth regulators is described in WO20051117.

Since, however, the ecologic and economic demands on modern croptreatment compositions are increasing constantly, for example withrespect to toxicity, selectivity, application rate, formation ofresidues and favourable manufacture, there is a constant need to developnovel crop treatment compositions which have advantages over thoseknown, at least in some areas. It was therefore an object of the presentinvention to provide further compounds to be applied on plants, on seedsfrom which they grow or on the locus in which they grow in their normalhabitat, for growth regulating responses, preferably in the absence ofabiotic stress conditions. In this regard it should be mentioned thatthe term “absence of abiotic stress conditions” is to be understood inthe context of the present invention to mean that plants or seeds arenot exposed to extraordinary environmental conditions such as extremedrought, cold and hot conditions, osmotic stress, waterlogging, elevatedsoil salinity, elevated exposure to minerals, ozone conditions, stronglight conditions, limited availability of nitrogen nutrients or limitedavailability of phosphorus nutrients, particularly extraordinaryenvironmental conditions beyond normal environmental fluctuations thatmay occur under normal plant growing conditions. Growing in the absenceof abiotic stress conditions thus encompasses growing plants in fieldconditions whereby the growing conditions, including nutrient supply,temperature, water supply, and other conditions are considered averageto optimal for the particular crop species. Growing in the absence ofabiotic stress conditions also encompasses growing plants undergreenhouse conditions which are considered average to optimal for thecrop species.

Generally, a superior growth may result in an improvement of growth, forexample, with respect to:

-   -   germination,    -   root growth    -   shoot development,    -   sprouting,    -   flower development,    -   photosynthesis performance of the plants,    -   leaves growth, preferably growth of the area of leaves,    -   plants per area (improved plant density).

Alternatively, the superior growth may result in an improvement of cropyield with respect to various parameters such as:

-   -   bio mass,    -   quantitative fruit yield,    -   size of fruits,    -   quantitative grain yield,    -   qualitative yield such as increase in content of desired        components, e.g. sugar content of sugar beet or protein content        in cereal grains, gluten content of grains for the production of        glues).

While the improvement in some of the above growth characteristics may beeffected together, some may be achieved very specifically with no oreven adverse effects on the other parameters.

It is thus desired to provide specific useful plant growth regulationeffects on crop plants, that result in superior growth of these treatedplants, certain parts of these plants or specific crop yield.

A broader group of compounds selected from the group of acylsulfonamidesis described in WO-A-97/45016, WO-A-99/16744 and EP-A-365484 andreferences cited therein; the compounds hereinafter called “Compounds(A)”. From said publications it is known that the “Compounds (A)” havesafener properties. Safeners are used in crops of useful plants togetherwith pesticides, such as herbicides, insecticides or fungicides,preferably herbicides, to reduce phytotoxic effects of the pesticides onthe crop plants. A good safener shall not reduce the desired effect of apesticide on target organisms, for example the effect against weedplants in case of a herbicide as the pesticide. A commercial safenerfrom Compounds (A) is cyprosulfamide (common name), hereafter alsocalled “Compound (A1)”.

It is further known from WO 2007/062737 that such acylsulfonamidesafeners have also shown effects to reduce plant damage of crop plants,specifically of maize plants, against certain abiotic stress such asextraordinary drought, heat or chillness.

According to WO 2010/003444 such acylsulfonamide safeners have alsoshown to improve root growth of crop plants, specifically of maizeplants. Additionally, effects in regulating shoot growth of crop plants,specifically of maize plants, has been described in the reference too.

Additionally, effects were described for enhancing the action of somepesticides by the addition of acylsulfonamide safeners. So, WO2008/131854 describes the enhancement of the action of the defoliantthidiazuron on cotton plants by the addition of cyprosulfamide. WO2008/092615 describes the enhancement of the herbicidal action of theherbicide pinoxaden by the addition of cyprosulfamide.

SUMMARY

It has now been found that, surprisingly, a Compound (A), specificallyCompound (A1), can be used for increasing the yield of useful plants orcrop plants with respect to their harvested plant organs.

Another object of the invention is a method for increasing the yield ofuseful plants or crop plants with respect to their harvested plantorgans wherein a Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), is applied ina effective, preferably non-phytotoxic amount to the crop plants, theseeds from which they grow, or to the locus in which they grow in theirnormal habitat, preferably in the absence of extraordinary environmentalconditions.

The term “useful plants” as used here refers to crop plants which areemployed as plants for obtaining foods, animal feeds or for industrialpurposes as well as horticultural plants.

In the context of the present invention, the term “increasing the yield”preferably means a specific yield enhanced by or more than 2%, morepreferably by or more than 5%, more preferably by or more than 8%, morepreferably by or more than 10%, of the harvested plant organs comparedto the untreated control plants, it being possible for the effects tomanifest themselves individually or else in any combination of effects.

In the context of the present invention, the term “with respect to theirharvested plant organs” define the plant organs usually harvesteddepending on the specific plant to be considered and products derivedtherefrom under harvesting. This includes the whole biomass of severalplant organs if these are harvested together and then may indicate arather unspecific general effect on plant growth. However, preferably itdefines the harvested seed in case of seed producing plants, for examplethe seed of cereal plants including maize plants, the seed of oil plantssuch as oilseed rape or canola, the seed organs of legumes, for examplebeans, lentils, peas and soybeans. Preferably the harvested plant organsencompass also the harvested seed organs of fiber plants such as cottonplants, preferably the lints of cotton plants taken from the seedcapsules for fiber production.

Preferably the harvested plant organs encompass also the harvestedorgans of beet plants, such as for example sugar beet and fodder beet.

The term “with respect to their harvested plant organs” also encompassesthe improvement as to specific parameters of the harvested plant organs,such as the starch content of seed kernels, the gluten content of seedkernels, the sugar content of sugar beets, the protein content of seedkernels.

Preferably, the plant organs are harvested at a mature stage of theirgrowth or near their stage of maturity, as this is usual for harvesting.

A more preferred object of the invention is the use of or method ofusing Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely (i.e. asthe only agrochemical compound) or in combination with one or moreselected agrochemical compound(s), for increasing the grain yield ofcrop plants selected from group consisting of cereals, canola, soybeanand cotton crops.

The term “agrochemical compound” is to be understood as meaning anycompound selected from the group consisting of herbicides, fungicides,insecticides, bactericides, nematicides, acaricides, plant-growthregulators and safener.

Another preferred object of the invention is the use of or method ofusing Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely (i.e. asthe only agrochemical compound) or in combination with one or moreselected agrochemical compound(s), for increasing the protein content ofseed kernels of crop plants selected from group consisting of cereals,canola and soybean crops.

Another preferred object of the invention is the use of or method ofusing Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely or incombination with one or more selected agrochemical compound(s), forincreasing the gluten content of seed kernels of crop plants selectedfrom group consisting of cereals, canola and soybean crops.

Another preferred object of the invention is the use of or method ofusing Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely or incombination with one or more selected agrochemical compound(s), forincreasing the gluten content of seed kernels of crop plants selectedfrom group consisting of cereal crops.

Another preferred object of the invention is the use of or method ofusing Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely or incombination with one or more selected agrochemical compound(s), forincreasing the yield of the amount by weight of beets of beet plants.

Another preferred object of the invention is the use of or method ofusing Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely or incombination with one or more selected agrochemical compound(s), forincreasing the biomass yield of maize plants growing in the absence ofextraordinary environmental conditions.

Another preferred object of the invention is the use of or method ofusing Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely or incombination with one or more selected agrochemical compound(s), forincreasing the sugar content of sugar beets.

Another preferred object of the invention is the use of or method ofusing Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely or incombination with one or more selected agrochemical compound(s), forincreasing the biomass yield of sugar plants.

Another preferred object of the invention is the use of or method ofusing Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely or incombination with one or more selected agrochemical compound(s), forincreasing the biomass yield of sugar beet plants growing in the absenceof extraordinary environmental conditions.

A more preferred object of the invention is the use of or method ofusing Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely or incombination with one or more selected agrochemical compound(s), forincreasing the grain yield of cereal crops, preferably wheat, barley,rye, triticale, rice, sorghum, sugarcane or maize crops.

A more preferred object of the invention is also the use of or method ofusing Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely or incombination with one or more selected agrochemical compound(s), forincreasing the germination and emergence of rice crops.

A more preferred object of the invention is also the use of or method ofusing Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely or incombination with one or more selected agrochemical compound(s), forincreasing the grain yield of oil crops such as canola crops.

A more preferred object of the invention is also the use of or method ofusing Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely or incombination with one or more selected agrochemical compound(s), forincreasing the bean yield of legume crops such as soybean crops.

A more preferred object of the invention is also the use of or method ofusing Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely or incombination with one or more selected agrochemical compound(s), forincreasing the grain yield of fiber crops such as cotton crops.

A more preferred object of the invention is also the use of or method ofusing Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely or incombination with one or more selected agrochemical compound(s), forincreasing the lints yield of fiber crops such as cotton crops.

A more preferred object of the invention is also the use of or method ofusing Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely or incombination with one or more selected agrochemical compound(s), forincreasing the beet yield of beet crops such as sugar beet crops.

Another preferred object of the invention is the use of or method ofusing Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely or incombination with one or more selected agrochemical compound(s), forincreasing the biomass yield of sugar beet or sugarcane plants.

Compounds (A) according to the present invention are understood as beingselected from compounds of the formula (I) or salts thereof,

wherein

-   X is CH or N;-   R¹ is —CO—NR⁵R⁶, —NH—CO—R⁷ or —NH—CO—NR⁸R⁹,-   (R²)_(n) is a radical R² if n is 1 or represents n radicals R²    attached to different carbon ring atoms of the basic ring if n is    more than 1, wherein each R² independently of one another is    halogen, (C₁-C₄)haloalkyl, (C₁-C₄)haloalkoxy, nitro, (C₁-C₄)alkyl,    (C₁-C₄)alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)alkylsulfonyl, [(C₁-C₄)alkoxy]carbonyl or    [(C₁-C₄)alkyl]carbonyl,-   R³ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₄)alkyl, (C₂-C₄)alkenyl or (C₂-C₄)alkinyl,-   (R⁴)_(m) is a radical R⁴ if m is 1 or represents m radicals R⁴    attached to different carbon ring atoms of the basic ring if m and    is more than 1, wherein each R⁴ independently of one another is    halogen, nitro, (C₁-C₄)alkyl, (C₁-C₄)haloalkyl, (C₁-C₄)haloalkoxy,    (C₃-C₆)cycloalkyl, phenyl, (C₁-C₄)alkoxy, cyano, (C₁-C₄)alkylthio,    (C₁-C₄)alkylsulfinyl, (C₁-C₄)alkylsulfonyl, [(C₁-C₄)alkoxy]carbonyl    or [(C₁-C₄)alkyl]carbonyl;-   R⁵ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₆)alkyl, (C₃-C₆)cycloalkyl, (C₂-C₆)alkenyl,    (C₂-C₆)alkinyl, (C₅-C₆)cycloalkenyl, phenyl or a 3- to 6-membered    heterocyclyl having 1 to 3 heteroatoms selected from the group    consisting of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, wherein each of the    last-mentioned 7 radicals is unsubstituted or substituted by 1, 2 or    3 radicals selected from the group consisting of halogen,    (C₁-C₆)alkoxy, (C₁-C₆)haloalkoxy, (C₁-C₂)alkylsulfinyl,    (C₁-C₂)alkylsulfonyl, (C₃-C₆)cycloalkyl, (C₁-C₄)alkoxycarbonyl,    [(C₁-C₄)alkyl]carbonyl and phenyl and, in case of cyclic basic    radicals, also (C₁-C₄)alkyl and (C₁-C₄)haloalkyl,-   R⁶ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₆)alkyl, (C₃-C₆)cycloalkyl, (C₂-C₆)alkenyl or    (C₂-C₆)alkinyl, each of the last-mentioned 3 radicals is    unsubstituted or substituted by 1, 2 or 3 radicals selected from the    group consisting of halogen, hydroxyl, (C₁-C₄)alkyl, (C₁-C₄)alkoxy    and (C₁-C₄)alkylthio, or-   R⁵ and R⁶ together with the nitrogen atom attached to represent    pyrrolidin-1-yl- or piperidin-1-yl,-   R⁷ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₆)alkyl, (C₃-C₆)cycloalkyl, wherein each of the    last-mentioned 2 radicals is unsubstituted or substituted by 1, 2 or    3 radicals selected from the group consisting of halogen,    (C₁-C₄)alkoxy, (C₁-C₆)haloalkoxy and (C₁-C₄)alkylthio and, in case    of cyclic basic radicals, also (C₁-C₄)alkyl and (C₁-C₄)haloalkyl,-   R⁸ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₅)alkyl, (C₂-C₆)alkenyl, (C₂-C₆)alkinyl or    (C₃-C₅)cycloalkyl, wherein each of the last-mentioned 4 radicals is    unsubstituted or substituted by 1, 2 or 3 radicals selected from the    group consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₄)alkoxy, (C₁-C₆)haloalkoxy and    (C₁-C₄)alkylthio and, in case of cyclic basic radicals, also    (C₁-C₄)alkyl and (C₁-C₄)haloalkyl,-   R⁹ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₅)alkyl, (C₂-C₆)alkenyl, (C₂-C₆)alkinyl or    (C₃-C₅)cycloalkyl, wherein each of the last-mentioned 4 radicals is    unsubstituted or substituted by 1, 2 or 3 radicals selected from the    group consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₄)alkoxy, (C₁-C₆)haloalkoxy and    (C₁-C₄)alkylthio and, in case of cyclic basic radicals, also    (C₁-C₄)alkyl and (C₁-C₄)haloalkyl,-   n is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, preferably 0, 1 or 2, and-   m is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, preferably 1 or 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

More preferred Compounds (A) are compounds of the formula (Ia) or saltsthereof,

wherein (R²)_(n), R³, (R⁴)_(m), R⁵, R⁶ n and m are defined as forformula (I), and preferablywherein

-   R³ is hydrogen,-   (R⁴)_(m) is a radical R⁴ if m is 1 or represents m radicals R⁴    attached to different carbon ring atoms of the basic ring if m and    is more than 1, wherein each R⁴ independently of one another is    halogen, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, i-propyl, CF₃, (C₁-C₄)haloalkoxy    or (C₁-C₄)alkoxy,-   R⁵ is (C₁-C₆)alkyl or (C₃-C₆)cycloalkyl, wherein each of the    last-mentioned 2 radicals is unsubstituted or substituted by 1, 2 or    3 radicals selected from the group consisting of halogen,    (C₁-C₄)alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)haloalkoxy, (C₁-C₂)alkylsulfinyl,    (C₁-C₂)alkylsulfonyl, (C₃-C₆)cycloalkyl, (C₁-C₄)alkoxycarbonyl and    [(C₁-C₂)alkyl]carbonyl and, in case of cyclic basic radicals, also    (C₁-C₄)alkyl and (C₁-C₄)haloalkyl,-   R⁶ is hydrogen or (C₁-C₄)alkyl, preferably hydrogen,-   m is 0, 1 or 2, preferably 1 or 2, and-   n is zero.

More preferred compounds of the formula (Ia) or salts thereof are thosewherein

-   R³ is hydrogen, and-   (R⁴)_(m) is 2-methoxy and R⁵ is cyclopropyl or-   (R⁴)_(m) is 5-chloro-2-methoxy and R⁵ is cyclopropyl or-   (R⁴)_(m) is 2-methoxy and R⁵ is ethyl or-   (R⁴)_(m) is 5-chloro-2-methoxy and R⁵ is isopropyl or-   (R⁴)_(m) is 2-methoxy and R⁵ is isopropyl, and-   R⁶ is hydrogen, and-   n is zero.

Such compounds are known from WO 99/16744.

Most preferred compound of the formula (Ia) or salts thereof is thecompound wherein

-   R³ is hydrogen,-   (R⁴)_(m) is 2-methoxy,-   R⁵ is cyclopropyl,-   R⁶ is hydrogen, and-   n is zero    (common name “cyprosulfamide”=Compound (A1)).

Also preferred Compounds (A) are compounds of the formula (Ib) or saltsthereof,

wherein (R²)_(n), R³, (R⁴)_(m), R⁷, n and m are defined as for formula(I), and preferablywherein

-   R³ is hydrogen,-   (R⁴)_(m) is a radical R⁴ if m is 1 or represents m radicals R⁴    attached to different carbon ring atoms of the basic ring if m and    is more than 1, wherein each R⁴ independently of one another is    halogen, (C₁-C₄)alkyl, CF₃, (C₁-C₄)haloalkoxy or (C₁-C₄)alkoxy,-   R⁷ is (C₁-C₆)alkyl or (C₃-C₆)cycloalkyl, wherein each of the    last-mentioned 2 radicals is unsubstituted or substituted by 1, 2 or    3 radicals selected from the group consisting of halogen,    (C₁-C₄)alkoxy, (C₁-C₆)haloalkoxy and (C₁-C₄)alkylthio und and, in    case of cyclic basic radicals, also (C₁-C₄)alkyl and    (C₁-C₄)haloalkyl,-   m is 0, 1 or 2, preferably 1 or 2, and-   n is zero.

Such compounds are known from WO 99/16744.

Also preferred Compounds (A) are compounds of the above formula (Ic) orsalts thereof,

wherein (R²)_(n), R³, (R⁴)_(m), R⁸, R⁹, n and m are defined as forformula (I), and preferablywherein

-   R³ is hydrogen,-   (R⁴)_(m) is a radical R⁴ if m is 1 or represents m radicals R⁴    attached to different carbon ring atoms of the basic ring if m and    is more than 1, wherein each R⁴ independently of one another is    halogen, (C₁-C₄)alkyl, CF₃, (C₁-C₄)haloalkoxy or (C₁-C₄)alkoxy,    preferably halogen, (C₁-C₄)alkyl, CF₃ or (C₁-C₄)alkoxy-   R⁸ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₅)alkyl, (C₂-C₆)alkenyl, (C₂-C₆)alkinyl or    (C₃-C₅)cycloalkyl,-   R⁹ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₅)alkyl, (C₂-C₆)alkenyl, (C₂-C₆)alkinyl or    (C₃-C₅)cycloalkyl,-   m is 0, 1 or 2, preferably 1 or 2, and-   n is zero.

Such compounds are known from EP-A-365484, for instance specifically

-   1-[4-(N-2-methoxybenzoylsulfamoyl)phenyl]-3-methyl-urea,-   1-[4-(N-2-methoxybenzoylsulfamoyl)phenyl]-3,3-dimethyl-urea,-   1-[4-(N-4,5-dimethylbenzoylsulfamoyl)phenyl]-3-methyl-urea.

By addition of a suitable inorganic or organic acid, such as, forexample, HCl, HBr, H₂SO₄ or HNO₃, but also oxalic acid or sulfonicacids, onto a basic group, such as, for example, amino or alkylamino,the compounds of the formula (I) may form salts. Suitable substituentspresent in deprotonated form, such as, for example, sulfo or carboxygroups, may form inner salts with groups which for their part can beprotonated, such as amino groups. Salts may also be formed by replacingthe hydrogen of suitable substituents, such as, for example, sulfo orcarboxy groups, or the acidic hydrogen atom of a —SO₂NHCO— group by anagriculturally suitable cation. These salts are, for example, metalsalts, in particular alkali metal salts or alkaline earth metal salts,especially sodium salts and potassium salts, or else ammonium salts,salts with organic amines or quaternary ammonium salts.

The compounds of the formula (I) and agriculturally acceptable saltsthereof used in accordance with the invention are also referred tohereinafter as “compounds of the formula (I)” for short”, or alsoCompounds (A).

In the description of the formulae, including the accompanying claims,the aforementioned substituents have the following meanings:

Halogen means fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine.

The term “halo” before the name of a radical means that this radical ispartially or completely halogenated, that is to say substituted by F,Cl, Br or I in any combination. The expression “(C₁-C₆)alkyl” means anunbranched or branched non-cyclic saturated hydrocarbon radical having1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 carbon atoms (indicated by a range of C-atoms in theparenthesis), such as, for example a methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl,1-butyl, 2-butyl, 2-methylpropyl or tert-butyl radical. The same appliesto alkyl groups in composite radicals such as “alkoxyalkyl”.

Alkyl radicals and also in composite groups, unless otherwise defined,preferably have 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

“(C₁-C₆)Haloalkyl” means an alkyl group mentioned under the expression“(C₁-C₆)alkyl” in which one or more hydrogen atoms are replaced by thesame number of identical or different halogen atoms, such asmonohaloalkyl, perhaloalkyl, CF₃, CHF₂, CH₂F, CHFCH₃, CF₃CH₂, CF₃CF₂,CHF₂CF₂, CH₂FCHCl, CH₂Cl, CCl₃, CHCl₂ or CH₂CH₂Cl.

“[(C₁-C₄)alkoxy](C₁-C₆)alkyl” means (C₁-C₆)alkyl which is substituted byone or more (C₁-C₄)alkoxy groups, preferably by one (C₁-C₄)alkoxy group.

“(C₁-C₆)Alkoxy” means an alkoxy group whose carbon chain has the meaninggiven under the expression “(C₁-C₆)alkyl”. “Haloalkoxy” is, for example,OCF₃, OCHF₂, OCH₂F, CF₃CF₂O, OCH₂CF₃ or OCH₂CH₂Cl.

“(C₂-C₆)Alkenyl” means an unbranched or branched non-cyclic carbon chainhaving a number of carbon atoms which corresponds to this stated rangeand which contains at least one double bond which can be located in anyposition of the respective unsaturated radical. “(C₂-C₆)alkenyl”accordingly denotes, for example, the vinyl, allyl, 2-methyl-2-propenyl,2-butenyl, pentenyl, 2-methylpentenyl or the hexenyl group.

“(C₂-C₆)alkynyl” means an unbranched or branched non-cyclic carbon chainhaving a number of carbon atoms which corresponds to this stated rangeand which contains one triple bond which can be located in any positionof the respective unsaturated radical. “(C₂-C₆)alkynyl” accordinglydenotes, for example, the propargyl, 1-methyl-2-propynyl, 2-butynyl or3-butynyl group.

“(C₃-C₆)cycloalkyl” denotes monocyclic alkyl radicals, such as thecyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl or cyclohexyl radical.

“(C₄-C₆)cycloalkenyl” denotes a carbocyclic, nonaromatic, partiallyunsaturated ring having 4 to 6 carbon atoms, for example 1-cyclobutenyl,2-cyclobutenyl, 1-cyclopentenyl, 2-cyclopentenyl, 3-cyclopentenyl, or1-cyclohexenyl, 2-cyclohexenyl, 3-cyclohexenyl, 1,3-cyclohexadienyl or1,4-cyclohexadienyl.

The expression “one or more radicals selected from the group consistingof” in the definition is to be understood as meaning in each case one ormore identical or different radicals selected from type of radicalsdefined, unless specific limitations are defined expressly.

According to the type and linkage of the substituents, the compounds ofthe formula (I) may be present as stereoisomers. The possiblestereoisomers defined by the specific three-dimensional form thereof,such as enantiomers, diastereomers, Z and E isomers, are all encompassedby the formula (I). When, for example, one or more alkenyl groups arepresent, diastereomers (Z and E isomers) may occur. When, for example,one or more asymmetric carbon atoms are present, enantiomers anddiastereomers may occur. Stereoisomers can be obtained from the mixturesobtained in the preparation by customary separation methods. Thechromatographic separation can be effected either on the analyticalscale to find the enantiomeric excess or the diastereomer excess, orelse on the preparative scale to produce test specimens for biologicaltesting. It is likewise possible to selectively prepare stereoisomers byusing stereoselective reactions with use of optically active startingmaterials and/or assistants. The invention thus also relates to allstereoisomers which are encompassed by the formula (I) but are not shownwith their specific stereoisomeric form, and mixtures thereof.

The radical definitions stated above, in general terms or listed withinareas of preference, apply both to the end products of the formula (I)and correspondingly to the starting materials and intermediates requiredfor the preparation in each case. These radical definitions can beexchanged with one another, i.e. including combinations between thepreferred ranges stated.

The term “useful plants” as used here refers to crop plants which areemployed as plants for obtaining foods, animal feeds or for industrialpurposes as well as horticultural plants.

The present invention further provides a method for treatment of plants,preferably growing in the absence extraordinary environmentalconditions. With “absence of any kind of extraordinary environmentalconditions” is to be understood in the context of the present inventionto mean that plants or seeds are not exposed to extraordinaryenvironmental conditions such as extreme drought, cold and hotconditions, osmotic stress, waterlogging, elevated soil salinity,elevated exposure to minerals, ozone conditions, strong lightconditions, limited availability of nitrogen nutrients or limitedavailability of phosphorus nutrients, particularly extraordinaryenvironmental conditions beyond normal environmental fluctuations thatmay occur under normal plant growing conditions.

A Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), may be applied by seedtreatment or by preemergence or postemergence applications, for exampleunder conditions which are known in the art.

The Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), may be applied eithersolely or in combination with one or more agrochemical compound(s) byseed treatment or by preemergence or postemergence applications, forexample under conditions which are known in the art.

The pre-emergence or post-emergence applications may use spraytechniques applying spray solutions of Compound (A), specificallyCompound (A1), either solely or in combination with one or moreagrochemical compound(s). Such spray solutions may comprise othercustomary constituents, such as solvents, formulation aids, especiallywater. Further constituents may include active agrochemical ingredientsdescribed below.

The present invention further provides for the use of correspondingspray solutions for increasing the yield of useful plants or crop plantswith respect to their harvested plant organs. The remarks which followapply both to the inventive use of the compounds of the formula (I) perse and to the corresponding spray solutions.

When using Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely or incombination with one or more agrochemical compound(s), as a plant growthregulator for increasing the yield of useful plants with respect totheir harvested plant organs, for example for increasing the grain yieldof crop plants like those mentioned above, preferably cereal plants,such as wheat, barley, rye, triticale, millet, rice or corn (maize), theapplication rate is, for example, in the range of from 0.005 (5 mg) to5000 g active substance per hectare of soil surface, preferably in therange of from 0.01 (10 mg) to 2000 g/ha, in particular in the range offrom 0.05 (50 mg) to 1000 g/ha of active substance, very particularlyfrom 10 to 1000 g/ha of active substance, more preferred from 20 to 500g/ha of active substance, mostly preferred from 25 to 100 g/ha of activesubstance.

A Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely or incombination with one or more agrochemical compound(s), can be applied tothe plants by spraying spray solutions containing the Compound (A),specifically Compound (A1), by distributing granules containing theCompound (A), specifically Compound (A1), on the soil of the cultivatedarea, by pouring solutions or dispersions or granules containingCompound (A), specifically Compound (A1), into the field water (e.g.paddy-rice).

A Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1), either solely or incombination with one or more agrochemical compound(s), can be appliedthe pre-emergence method (pre-sown or similtaneous with sowing, e.g.pre-plant incorporated or in-furrow treatment, or after sowing) or theearly post-emergence method or later in the post-emergence period,generally up to full bloom of the useful plants.

As an alternative, application as plant growth regulator is alsopossible by treating the seed, which includes various techniques fordressing and coating seed. Here, the application rate depends on theparticular techniques and can be determined in preliminary tests.Generally, the application rate of Compound (A), specifically Compound(A1), as active substance in case of a seed treatment is from 0.001 (1mg) to 10 grammes active substance (a. i.) per kilogramme seed,preferably 0.01 (10 mg) to 5 g a. i. per kg seed, in particular 0.1 (100mg) to 2 g a, i. per kilogramme seed.

If solutions of Compounds (A), preferably Compound (A1), either solelyor in combination with one or more agrochemical compound(s), are used inthe seed treatment method wherein the seeds are soaked in the activesubstance's solution, the concentration of the active substance (a. i.)in the solution is for example from 1 to 15000 ppm, preferably 10 to10000 ppm, more preferably 100 to 5000 ppm based on weight.

The plant growth regulator is generally applied in aplant-growth-regulating non-phytotoxic effective amount. By“non-phytotoxic” is meant an amount of the plant growth regulator whichcauses at most minor or no injury to the desired crop species as regardsyield of harvested product.

When applying the Compound (A), specifically Compound (A1) or (A2),specifically Compound (A1), either solely or in combination with otheragrochemical compounds), it can be applied once or by split applicationin two or more instances while the single application can be by seedtreatment, pre- or post-emergence. Therefore, it is possible to havecombined applications such as by seed treatment followed by one or morepre- and/or post-emergence treatments.

Preferred application is by seed treatment.

Also preferred is single pre-emergence treatment.

Also preferred is a single post-emergence treatment.

Also preferred is a pre-emergence treatment followed by 1, 2 or 3post-emergence treatments.

Also preferred is a seed treatment followed by 1, 2 or 3 post-emergencetreatments.

Also preferred is a post-emergence treatment in the stage betweed earlyearing and 8 leaves stage.

Also preferred is a post-emergence treatment of the plants producingseed in the late vegetation stage up to the generative stage (betweenend of shooting and early bloom).

The Compounds (A), specifically or (A1), can be used as stand aloneproduct or in combination with one or more other agrochemical compounds,preferably a pesticide or plant-growth regulator more preferably apesticide for which the plant growth regulator can effectively be usedalso as a safener. Of particular interest are combinations of Compounds(A), preferably Compound (A1), with herbicides, fungicides,insecticides, or plant-growth regulators especially preferred is thecombination with one or more, preferably one or two agrochemicallyactive compounds belonging to the class of fungicides.

The application rate of the pesticides, preferably herbicides (B) are inthe range used for the pesticides (preferably herbicides) alone and arethus known per se.

A further preferred object of present invention is the combined use ofCompound (A), specifically Compound (A1), in combination with one ormore fungicides, one or more insecticides, and/or one or more plantgrowth regulators.

More specifically, the fungicides to be combined with Compound (A) orCompound (A1), preferably Compound (A1) are selected from the groupconsisting of: benalaxyl [=F-1], benalaxyl-M [=F-2], bupirimate [=F-3],chiralaxyl [=F-4], clozylacon [=F-5], dimethirimol [=F-6], ethirimol[=F-7], furalaxyl [=F-8], hymexazole [=F-9], metalaxyl [=F-10],metalaxyl-M [=F-11], ofurace [=F-12], oxadixyl [=F-13], oxolinic acid[=F-14], benomyl [=F-15], carbendazim [=F-16], diethofencarb [=F-17],fuberidazole [=F-18], fluopicolide [=F-19], pencycuron [=F-20],thiabendazole [F-21], thiophanate-methyl [=F-22], zoxamide [F-23],chloro-7-(4-methylpiperidin-1-yl)-6-(2,4,6-trifluorophenyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine[=F-24], diflumetorim [=F-25], bixafen [=F-26], boscalid [=F-27],carboxin [=F-28], diflumethorim [=F-29], fenfuram [=F-30], fluopyram[=F-31], flutolanil [=F-32], furametpyr [=F-33], mepronil [=F-34],oxycarboxin [=F-35], penflufen [=F-36], penthiopyrad [F-37], thifluzamid[=F-38],N-[2-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)phenyl]-5-fluoro-1,3-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide[=F-39], isopyrazam [=F-40], sedaxane [=F-41],3-(difluoromethyl)-1-methyl-N-(3′,4′,5′-trifluorobiphenyl-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide[=F-42],3-(difluoromethyl)-1-methyl-N-[2-(1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy)phenyl]-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide[=F-43],3-(difluoromethyl)-N-[4-fluoro-2-(1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropoxy)phenyl]-1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide[F-44],N-[1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-methoxypropan-2-yl]-3-(difluoromethyl)-1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide[=F-45] and corresponding salts, amisulbrom [=F-46], azoxystrobin[=F-47], cyazofamid [=F-48], dimoxystrobin [=F-49], enestrobin [=F-50],famoxadon [=F-51], fenamidone [=F-52], fluoxastrobin [=F-53],kresoxim-methyl [=F-54], metominostrobin [=F-55], orysastrobin [=F-56],pyraclostrobin [=F-57], pyribencarb [=F-58], picoxystrobin [=F-59],trifloxystrobin [=F-60],(2E)-2-(2-{[6-(3-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)-5-fluoropyrimidin-4-yl]oxy}phenyl)-2-(methoxyimino)-N-methylethanamide[=F-61],(2E)-2-(ethoxyimino)-N-methyl-2-(2-{[({(1E)-1-[3-(trifluoromethyl)-phenyl]ethylidene}amino)oxy]methyl}phenyl)ethanamide[=F-62] and corresponding salts,(2E)-2-(methoxyimino)-N-methyl-2-{2-[(E)-({1-[3-(trifluoromethyl)¬phenyl]-ethoxy}¬imino)methyl]phenyl}ethanamide[=F-63],(2E)-2-{2-[({[(1E)-1-(3-{[(E)-1-fluoro-2-phenylethenyl]oxy}phenyl)ethylidene]-amino}oxy)methyl]phenyl}-2-(methoxyimino)-N-methyl¬ethanamide[=F-64],(2E)-2-{2-[({[(2E,3E)-4-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)but-3-en-2-ylidene]amino}oxy)methyl]phenyl}-2-(methoxyimino)-N-methylethanamide,2-chloro-N-(1,1,3-trimethyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-4-yl)pyridine-3-carboxamide[F-65],5-methoxy-2-methyl-4-(2-{[({(1E)-1-[3-(trifluoromethyl)¬phenyl]-ethylidene}¬amino)¬oxy]¬methyl}¬phenyl)-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-one[=F-66], 2-methyl{2-[({cyclopropyl[(4-methoxyphenyl)¬imino]methyl}sulfanyl)methyl]phenyl}-3-methoxyacrylate[=F-67],N-(3-ethyl-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexyl)-3-(formylamino)-2-hydroxybenzamide[=F-68] and corresponding salts, dinocap [=F-69], fluazinam [=F-70],fentin acetate [=F-71], fentin chloride [=F-72], fentin hydroxide[=F-73], silthiofam [=F-74], andoprim [=F-75], blasticidin-S [=F-76],cyprodinil [=F-77], kasugamycin [=F-78], kasugamycin hydrochloridehydrate [=F-79], mepanipyrim [=F-80], pyrimethanil [=F-81], fenpiclonil[=F-82], fludioxonil [=F-83], quinoxyfen [=F-84], chlozolinate [=F-85],iprodione [=F-86], procymidone [=F-87], vinclozolin [=F-88], ampropylfos[=F-89], potassium-ampropylfos [=F-90], edifenphos [=F-91], iprobenfos(IBP) [=F-92], isoprothiolane [=F-93], pyrazophos [=F-94],tolclofos-methyl [=F-95], biphenyl [=F-96], iodocarb [=F-97],propamocarb [F-98], propamocarb hydrochloride [=F-99], fenhexamid[=F-100], azaconazole [=F-101], bitertanol [=F-102], bromuconazole[=F-103], diclobutrazole [=F-104], difenoconazole [=F-105], diniconazole[=F-106], diniconazole-M [=F-107], epoxiconazole [=F-108], etaconazole[=F-109], fenbuconazole [=F-110], fluquinconazole [=F-111], flusilazole[=F-112], flutriafol [=F-113], furconazole [=F-114], furconazole-cis[=F-115], hexaconazole [=F-116], imibenconazole [=F-117], ipconazole[=F-118], metconazole [=F-119], myclobutanil [=F-120], paclobutrazole[=F-121], penconazole [=F-122], propiconazole [=F-123], prothioconazole[=F-124], simeconazole [=F-125], spiroxamine [=F-126], tebuconazole[=F-127], triadimefon [=F-128], triadimenol [=F-129], triticonazole[=F-130], uniconazole [=F-131], voriconazole [=F-132], imazalil[=F-133], imazalil sulphate [=F-134], oxpoconazole [=F-135], fenarimol[=F-136], flurprimidol [=F-137], nuarimol [=F-138], pyrifenox [=F-139],triforin [=F-140], pefurazoat [=F-141], prochloraz [=F-142],triflumizole [=F-143], viniconazole [=F-144], aldimorph [=F-145],dodemorph [=F-146], dodemorph acetate [=F-147], fenpropimorph [=F-148],tridemorph [=F-149], fenpropidin [=F-150], naftifin [=F-151],pyributicarb [=F-152], terbinafin [=F-153],1-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)cycloheptanol [=F-154],methyl1-(2,2-dimethyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-1-yl)-1H-imidazole-5-carboxylate[=F-155],N′-{5-(difluoromethyl)-2-methyl-4-[3-(trimethyl-silyl)propoxy]phenyl}-N-ethyl-N-methylimidoformamide[=F-156], N-ethyl-N-methyl-N′-{2-methyl-5-(trifluoromethyl)-4-[3-(trimethylsilyl)propoxy]phenyl}imidoformamide [=F-157],O-{1-[(4-methoxyphenoxy)methyl]-2,2-dimethylpropyl}-1H-imidazole-1-carbothioate[=F-158], benthiavalicarb [=F-159], bialaphos [=F-160], dimethomorph[=F-161], flumorph [=F-162], iprovalicarb [=F-163], polyoxins [=F-164],polyoxorim [=F-165], validamycin A [=F-166], capropamide [=F-167],diclocymet [=F-168], fenoxanil [=F-169], phthalide [=F-170], pyroquilon[=F-171], tricyclazole [=F-172], acibenzolar-S-methyl [=F-173],probenazole [=F-174], tiadinil [=F-175], isotianil [=F-176], captafol[=F-177], captan [=F-178], chlorothalonil [=F-179], copper salts suchas: copper hydroxide [=F-180], copper naphthenate [F-181], copperoxychloride [=F-182], copper sulphate [=F-183], copper oxide [=F-184],oxine-copper [=F-185], Bordeaux mixture [=F-186], dichlofluanid[=F-187], dithianon [=F-188], dodine [=F-189], dodine free base[=F-190], ferbam [=F-191], folpet [=F-192], fluorofolpet [=F-193],guazatine [=F-194], guazatine acetate [=F-195], iminoctadine [=F-196],iminoctadine albesilate [=F-197], iminoctadine triacetate [=F-198],mancopper [=F-199], mancozeb [=F-200], maneb [=F-201], metiram [=F-202],metiram zinc [=F-203], propineb [=F-204], sulfur and sulfur preparationscontaining calcium polysulfide [=F-205], thiram [=F-206], tolylfluanid[=F-207], zineb [=F-208], ziram [=F-209], amibromdol [=F-210],benthiazole [=F-211], bethoxazin [=F-212], capsimycin [=F-213], carvone[=F-214], chinomethionat [=F-215], chloropicrin [=F-216], cufraneb[=F-217], cyflufenamid [=F-218], cymoxanil [=F-219], dazomet [=F-220],debacarb [=F-221], diclomezine [=F-222], dichlorophen [=F-223], dicloran[=F-224], difenzoquat [=F-225], difenzoquat methyl sulphate[=F-226],diphenylamine [=F-227], ethaboxam [=F-228], ferimzone [=F-229],flumetover [=F-230], flusulfamide [=F-231], fluopicolid [=F-232],fluoroimid [=F-233], fosatyl-Al [=F-234], hexachlorobenzene [=F-235], 8hydroxy-quinoline sulphate [=F-236], iprodione [=F-237], irumamycin[=F-238], isotianil [=F-239], methasulfocarb [=F-240], metrafenone[=F-250], methyl isothiocyanate [=F-251], mildiomycin [=F-252],natamycin [=F-253], nickel dimethyl dithiocarbamate [=F-254],nitrothal-isopropyl [=F-255], octhilinone [=F-256], oxamocarb [=F-257],oxyfenthiin [=F-258], pentachlorophenol [=F-259] and salts,2-phenylphenol [=F-260] and salts, piperalin [=F-261],propanosine-sodium [=F-262], proquinazid [=F-263], pyrrolnitrin[=F-264], quintozene [=F-265], tecloftalam [=F-266], tecnazene [=F-267],triazoxide [=F-268], trichlamide [=F-269], zarilamid [=F-270],2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-4-(methylsulfonyl)pyridine [=F-271],N-(4-chloro-2-nitrophenyl)-N-ethyl-4-methylbenzenesulfonamide [=F-272],2-amino-4-methyl-N-phenyl-5-thiazolecarboxamide [=F-273],2-chloro-N-(2,3-dihydro-1,1,3-trimethyl-1H-inden-4-yl)-3-pyridine¬carboxamide[=F-274], 3-[5-(4-chlorophenyl)-2,3-dimethylisoxazolidin-3-yl]pyridine[=F-275], cis-1-(4-chloro-phenyl)-2-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)cycloheptanol[=F-276],2,4-dihydro-5-methoxy-2-methyl-4-[[[[1-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]ethylidene]amino]¬oxy]methyl]phenyl]-3H-1,2,3-triazol-3-one(185336-79-2) [=F-277], methyl1-(2,3-dihydro-2,2-dimethyl-1H-inden-1-yl)-1H-imidazole-5-carboxylate,3,4,5-trichloro-2,6-pyridinedicarbonitrile, methyl2-[[[cyclopropyl[(4-methoxy-phenyl)imino]methyl]thio]methyl]-alpha-(methoxymethylene)benzacetate [=F-278],4-chloro-alpha-propynyloxy-N-[2-[3-methoxy-4-(2-propynyloxy)phenyl]ethyl]benz¬acet¬amide[=F-279], (2S)—N-[2-[4-[[3-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-propynyl]oxy]-3-methoxyphenyl]ethyl]-3-methyl-2-[(methylsulfon-yl)amino]butanamide[=F-280],5-chloro-7-(4-methylpiperidin-1-yl)-6-(2,4,6-trifluorophenyl)[1,2,4]¬triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine[=F-281],5-chloro-6-(2,4,6-trifluoro-phenyl)-N-[(1R)-1,2,2-trimethylpropyl]¬[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-7-amine,5-chloro-N-[(1R)-1,2-dimethylpropyl]-6-(2,4,6-trifluorophenyl)[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-7-amine[=F-282],N-[1-(5-bromo-3-chloropyridin-2-yl)ethyl]-2,4-dichloronicotinamide[=F-283],N-(5-bromo-3-chloro-pyridin-2-yl)methyl-2,4-dichloro-nicotinamide[=F-284], 2-butoxy-6-iodo-3-propylbenzopyranon-4-one [=F-285],N-(3-ethyl-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexyl)-3-formylamino-2-hydroxybenzamide,2-[[[[1-[3(1-fluoro-2-phenyl¬ethyl)oxy]phenyl]ethylidene]¬amino]oxy]¬methyl]-alpha-(methoxyimino)-N-methyl-alphaE-benzacetamide[=F-286],N-{2-[3-chloro-5-(tri-fluoromethyl)pyridin-2-yl]ethyl}-2-(trifluoro¬methyl)benzamide,N-(3′,4′-dichloro-5-fluoro¬biphenyl-2-yl)-3-(difluoromethyl)-1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide[=F-287], N-(6-methoxy-3-pyridinyl)cyclopropanecarboxamide,1-[(4-methoxyphenoxy)methyl]-2,2-dimethylpropyl-1H-imidazole-1-carboxylicacid [=F-288],O-[1-[(4-methoxyphenoxy)methyl]-2,2-dimethylpropyl]-1H-imidazole-1-carbothioicacid [=F-289],2-(2-{[6-(3-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)-5-fluoropyrimidin-4-yl]oxy}phenyl)-2-(methoxyimino)-N-methyl¬acetamide[=F-290,N—{(Z)-[(cyclopropylmethoxy)¬imino][6-(difluoromethoxy)-2,3-difluorophenyl]¬methyl}-2-benzacetamide[=F-291].

An even more preferred object of present invention, is the combined useof

(A1)+(F-1), (A1)+(F-2), (A1)+(F-3), (A1)+(F-4), (A1)+(F-5), (A1)+(F-6),(A1)+(F-7), (A1)+(F-8), (A1)+(F-9), (A1)+(F-10), (A1)+(F-11),(A1)+(F-12), (A1)+(F-13), (A1)+(F-14), (A1)+(F-15), (A1)+(F-16),(A1)+(F-17), (A1)+(F-18), (A1)+(F-19), (A1)+(F-20), (A1)+(F-21),(A1)+(F-22), (A1)+(F-23), (A1)+(F-24), (A1)+(F-25), (A1)+(F-26),(A1)+(F-27), (A1)+(F-28), (A1)+(F-29), (A1)+(F-30), (A1)+(F-31),(A1)+(F-32), (A1)+(F-33), (A1)+(F-34), (A1)+(F-35), (A1)+(F-36),(A1)+(F-37), (A1)+(F-38), (A1)+(F-39), (A1)+(F-40), (A1)+(F-41),(A1)+(F-42), (A1)+(F-43), (A1)+(F-44), (A1)+(F-45), (A1)+(F-46),(A1)+(F-47), (A1)+(F-48), (A1)+(F-49), (A1)+(F-50), (A1)+(F-51),(A1)+(F-52), (A1)+(F-53), (A1)+(F-54), (A1)+(F-55), (A1)+(F-56),(A1)+(F-57), (A1)+(F-58), (A1)+(F-59), (A1)+(F-60), (A1)+(F-61),(A1)+(F-62), (A1)+(F-63), (A1)+(F-64), (A1)+(F-65), (A1)+(F-66),(A1)+(F-67), (A1)+(F-68), (A1)+(F-69), (A1)+(F-70), (A1)+(F-71),(A1)+(F-72), (A1)+(F-73), (A1)+(F-74), (A1)+(F-75), (A1)+(F-76),(A1)+(F-77), (A1)+(F-78), (A1)+(F-79), (A1)+(F-80), (A1)+(F-81),(A1)+(F-82), (A1)+(F-83), (A1)+(F-84), (A1)+(F-85), (A1)+(F-86),(A1)+(F-87), (A1)+(F-88), (A1)+(F-89), (A1)+(F-90), (A1)+(F-91),(A1)+(F-92), (A1)+(F-93), (A1)+(F-94), (A1)+(F-95), (A1)+(F-96),(A1)+(F-97), (A1)+(F-98), (A1)+(F-99), (A1)+(F-100), (A1)+(F-101),(A1)+(F-102), (A1)+(F-103), (A1)+(F-104), (A1)+(F-105), (A1)+(F-106),(A1)+(F-107), (A1)+(F-108), (A1)+(F-109), (A1)+(F-110), (A1)+(F-111),(A1)+(F-112), (A1)+(F-113), (A1)+(F-114), (A1)+(F-115), (A1)+(F-116),(A1)+(F-117), (A1)+(F-118), (A1)+(F-119), (A1)+(F-120), (A1)+(F-121),(A1)+(F-122), (A1)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-124), (A1)+(F-125), (A1)+(F-126),(A1)+(F-127), (A1)+(F-128), (A1)+(F-129), (A1)+(F-130), (A1)+(F-131),(A1)+(F-132), (A1)+(F-133), (A1)+(F-134), (A1)+(F-135), (A1)+(F-136),(A1)+(F-137), (A1)+(F-138), (A1)+(F-139), (A1)+(F-140), (A1)+(F-141),(A1)+(F-142), (A1)+(F-143), (A1)+(F-144), (A1)+(F-145), (A1)+(F-146),(A1)+(F-147), (A1)+(F-148), (A1)+(F-149), (A1)+(F-150), (A1)+(F-151),(A1)+(F-152), (A1)+(F-153), (A1)+(F-154), (A1)+(F-155), (A1)+(F-156),(A1)+(F-157), (A1)+(F-158), (A1)+(F-159), (A1)+(F-160), (A1)+(F-161),(A1)+(F-162), (A1)+(F-163), (A1)+(F-164), (A1)+(F-165), (A1)+(F-166),(A1)+(F-167), (A1)+(F-168), (A1)+(F-169), (A1)+(F-170), (A1)+(F-171),(A1)+(F-172), (A1)+(F-173), (A1)+(F-174), (A1)+(F-175), (A1)+(F-176),(A1)+(F-177), (A1)+(F-178), (A1)+(F-179), (A1)+(F-180), (A1)+(F-181),(A1)+(F-182), (A1)+(F-183), (A1)+(F-184), (A1)+(F-185), (A1)+(F-186),(A1)+(F-187), (A1)+(F-188), (A1)+(F-189), (A1)+(F-190), (A1)+(F-191),(A1)+(F-192), (A1)+(F-193), (A1)+(F-194), (A1)+(F-195), (A1)+(F-196),(A1)+(F-197), (A1)+(F-198), (A1)+(F-199), (A1)+(F-200), (A1)+(F-201),(A1)+(F-202), (A1)+(F-203), (A1)+(F-204), (A1)+(F-205), (A1)+(F-206),(A1)+(F-207), (A1)+(F-208), (A1)+(F-209), (A1)+(F-210), (A1)+(F-211),(A1)+(F-212), (A1)+(F-213), (A1)+(F-214), (A1)+(F-215), (A1)+(F-216),(A1)+(F-217), (A1)+(F-218), (A1)+(F-219), (A1)+(F-220), (A1)+(F-221),(A1)+(F-222), (A1)+(F-223), (A1)+(F-224), (A1)+(F-225), (A1)+(F-226),(A1)+(F-227), (A1)+(F-228), (A1)+(F-229), (A1)+(F-230), (A1)+(F-231),(A1)+(F-232), (A1)+(F-233), (A1)+(F-234), (A1)+(F-235), (A1)+(F-236),(A1)+(F-237), (A1)+(F-238), (A1)+(F-239), (A1)+(F-240), (A1)+(F-241),(A1)+(F-242), (A1)+(F-243), (A1)+(F-244), (A1)+(F-245), (A1)+(F-246),(A1)+(F-247), (A1)+(F-248), (A1)+(F-249), (A1)+(F-250), (A1)+(F-251),(A1)+(F-252), (A1)+(F-253), (A1)+(F-254), (A1)+(F-255), (A1)+(F-256),(A1)+(F-257), (A1)+(F-258), (A1)+(F-259), (A1)+(F-260), (A1)+(F-261),(A1)+(F-262), (A1)+(F-263), (A1)+(F-264), (A1)+(F-265), (A1)+(F-266),(A1)+(F-267), (A1)+(F-268), (A1)+(F-269), (A1)+(F-270), (A1)+(F-271),(A1)+(F-272), (A1)+(F-273), (A1)+(F-274), (A1)+(F-275), (A1)+(F-276),(A1)+(F-277), (A1)+(F-278), (A1)+(F-279), (A1)+(F-280), (A1)+(F-281),(A1)+(F-282), (A1)+(F-283), (A1)+(F-284), (A1)+(F-285), (A1)+(F-286),(A1)+(F-287), (A1)+(F-288), (A1)+(F-289), (A1)+(F-290), or (A1)+(F-291),

for inducing specific growth regulating responses on plants, on seedsfrom which they grow and/or on the locus in which they grow in theirnormal habitat, preferably in the absence of extraordinary environmentalconditions and, thereby, increasing the yield in such treated plants.

An even more preferred object of present invention is the combined useof Compound (A), specifically compound (A1), and one or more, preferablyone or two fungicides selected from the group consisiting of:

bixafen [=F-26], fluopyram [=F-31], penflufen [F-36], isopyrazam [F-40],sedaxane [=F41],3-(difluoromethyl)-1-methyl-N-(3′,4′,5′-trifluorobiphenyl-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxamide[=F-42], azoxystrobin [F-47], fluoxastrobin [=F-53], pyraclostrobin[F-57], trifloxystrobin [=F-60], epoxiconazole [=F-108], metconazole[=F-119], propiconazole [=F-123], prothioconazole [=F-124], tebuconazole[=F-127], for inducing specific growth regulating responses on plants,on seeds from which they grow and/or on the locus in which they grow intheir normal habitat, preferably in the absence of extraordinaryenvironmental conditions and, thereby, increasing the yield in suchtreated plants.

An even more preferred object of present invention is the combined useof

(A1)+(F-26), (A1)+(F31), (A1)+(F-36), (A1)+(F-40), (A1)+(F-41),(A1)+(F-42), (A1)+(F-47), (A1)+(F-53), (A1)+(F-57), (A1)+(F-60),(A1)+(F-108), (A1)+(F-119), (A1)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-124), (A1)+(F-127),(A1)+(F-26)+(F31), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-36), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-40),(A1)+(F-26)+(F-41), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-42), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-47),(A1)+(F-26)+(F-53), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-57), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-60),(A1)+(F-26)+(F-108), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-119), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-123),(A1)+(F-26)+(F-124), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-127), (A1)+(F-36)+(F-40),(A1)+(F-36)+(F-41), (A1)+(F-36)+(F-42), (A1)+(F-36)+(F-47),(A1)+(F-36)+(F-53), (A1)+(F-36)+(F-57), (A1)+(F-36)+(F-60),(A1)+(F-36)+(F-108), (A1)+(F-36)+(F-119), (A1)+(F-36)+(F-123),(A1)+(F-36)+(F-124), (A1)+(F-36)+(F-127), (A1)+(F-40)+(F-41),(A1)+(F-40)+(F-42), (A1)+(F-40)+(F-47), (A1)+(F-40)+(F-53),(A1)+(F-40)+(F-57), (A1)+(F-40)+(F-60), (A1)+(F-40)+(F-108),(A1)+(F-40)+(F-119), (A1)+(F-40)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-40)+(F-124),(A1)+(F-40)+(F-127), (A1)+(F-41)+(F-42), (A1)+(F-41)+(F-47),(A1)+(F-41)+(F-53), (A1)+(F-41)+(F-57), (A1)+(F-41)+(F-60),(A1)+(F-41)+(F-108), (A1)+(F-41)+(F-119), (A1)+(F-41)+(F-123),(A1)+(F-41)+(F-124), (A1)+(F-41)+(F-127), (A1)+(F-42)+(F-53),(A1)+(F-42)+(F-57), (A1)+(F-42)+(F-60), (A1)+(F-42)+(F-108),(A1)+(F-42)+(F-119), (A1)+(F-42)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-42)+(F-124),(A1)+(F-42)+(F-127), (A1)+(F-47)+(F-53), (A1)+(F-47)+(F-57),(A1)+(F-47)+(F-60), (A1)+(F-47)+(F-108), (A1)+(F-47)+(F-119),(A1)+(F-47)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-47)+(F-124), or (A1)+(F-47)+(F-127),(A1)+(F-53)+(F-57), (A1)+(F-53)+(F-60), (A1)+(F-53)+(F-108),(A1)+(F-53)+(F-119), (A1)+(F-53)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-53)+(F-124),(A1)+(F-53)+(F-127), (A1)+(F-57)+(F-60), (A1)+(F-57)+(F-108),(A1)+(F-57)+(F-119), (A1)+(F-57)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-57)+(F-124),(A1)+(F-57)+(F-127), (A1)+(F-60)+(F-108), (A1)+(F-60)+(F-119),(A1)+(F-60)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-60)+(F-124), or (A1)+(F-60)+(F-127),(A1)+(F-108)+(F-119), (A1)+(F-108)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-108)+(F-124),(A1)+(F-108)+(F-127), (A1)+(F-119)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-119)+(F-124),(A1)+(F-119)+(F-127), (A1)+(F-123)+(F-124), (A1)+(F-123)+(F-127), or(A1)+(F-124)+(F-127),

for inducing specific growth regulating responses on plants, on seedsfrom which they grow and/or on the locus in which they grow in theirnormal habitat, preferably in the absence of extraordinary environmentalconditions and, thereby, increasing the yield in such treated plants.

An even more preferred object of present invention is the combined useof

(A1)+(F-108), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-124), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-127),(A1)+(F-42)+(F-124), (A1)+(F-53)+(F-124), (A1)+(F-57)+(F-119),(A1)+(F-57)+(F-124), (A1)+(F-60)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-60)+(F-124), or(A1)+(F-124)+(F-127), for inducing specific growth regulating responseson plants, on seeds from which they grow and/or on the locus in whichthey grow in their normal habitat, preferably in the absence ofextraordinary environmental conditions and, thereby, increasing theyield in such treated plants.

An even more preferred object of present invention is the combined useof

(A1)+(F-108), (A1)+(F-60)+(F-124), or (A1)+(F-124)+(F-127),

for inducing specific growth regulating responses on plants, on seedsfrom which they grow and/or on the locus in which they grow in theirnormal habitat, preferably in the absence of extraordinary environmentalconditions and, thereby, increasing the yield in such treated plants.

Plant yield increasing compositions comprising

(A1)+(F-3), (A1)+(F-4), (A1)+(F-5), (A1)+(F-6), (A1)+(F-7), (A1)+(F-9),(A1)+(F-12), (A1)+(F-14), (A1)+(F-15), (A1)+(F-18), (A1)+(F-19),(A1)+(F-21), (A1)+(F-24), (A1)+(F-25), (A1)+(F-28), (A1)+(F-29),(A1)+(F-30), (A1)+(F-31), (A1)+(F-32), (A1)+(F-33), (A1)+(F-34),(A1)+(F-35), (A1)+(F-36), (A1)+(F-38), (A1)+(F-39), (A1)+(F-40),(A1)+(F-41), (A1)+(F-42), (A1)+(F-43), (A1)+(F-44), (A1)+(F-45),(A1)+(F-46), (A1)+(F-50), (A1)+(F-56), (A1)+(F-58), (A1)+(F-62),(A1)+(F-65), (A1)+(F-67), (A1)+(F-68), (A1)+(F-69), (A1)+(F-71),(A1)+(F-72), (A1)+(F-73), (A1)+(F-74), (A1)+(F-75), (A1)+(F-76),(A1)+(F-78), (A1)+(F-79), (A1)+(F-82), (A1)+(F-84), (A1)+(F-85),(A1)+(F-86), (A1)+(F-88), (A1)+(F-89), (A1)+(F-90), (A1)+(F-91),(A1)+(F-92), (A1)+(F-93), (A1)+(F-94), (A1)+(F-95), (A1)+(F-96),(A1)+(F-97), (A1)+(F-101), (A1)+(F-103), (A1)+(F-104), (A1)+(F-106),(A1)+(F-107), (A1)+(F-108), (A1)+(F-109), (A1)+(F-110), (A1)+(F-113),(A1)+(F-114), (A1)+(F-115), (A1)+(F-117), (A1)+(F-118), (A1)+(F-121),(A1)+(F-125), (A1)+(F-130), (A1)+(F-131), (A1)+(F-132), (A1)+(F-133),(A1)+(F-134), (A1)+(F-135), (A1)+(F-136), (A1)+(F-137), (A1)+(F-138),(A1)+(F-139), (A1)+(F-140), (A1)+(F-141), (A1)+(F-143), (A1)+(F-144),(A1)+(F-145), (A1)+(F-146), (A1)+(F-147), (A1)+(F-149), (A1)+(F-150),(A1)+(F-151), (A1)+(F-152), (A1)+(F-153), (A1)+(F-154), (A1)+(F-155),(A1)+(F-156), (A1)+(F-157), (A1)+(F-158), (A1)+(F-160), (A1)+(F-161),(A1)+(F-162), (A1)+(F-164), (A1)+(F-165), (A1)+(F-166), (A1)+(F-168),(A1)+(F-169), (A1)+(F-170), (A1)+(F-171), (A1)+(F-172), (A1)+(F-173),(A1)+(F-174), (A1)+(F-175), (A1)+(F-176), (A1)+(F-177), (A1)+(F-180),(A1)+(F-181), (A1)+(F-183), (A1)+(F-184), (A1)+(F-185), (A1)+(F-186),(A1)+(F-188), (A1)+(F-190), (A1)+(F-191), (A1)+(F-193), (A1)+(F-195),(A1)+(F-196), (A1)+(F-197), (A1)+(F-199), (A1)+(F-202), (A1)+(F-203),(A1)+(F-205), (A1)+(F-209), (A1)+(F-210), (A1)+(F-211), (A1)+(F-212),(A1)+(F-213), (A1)+(F-214), (A1)+(F-215), (A1)+(F-216), (A1)+(F-217),(A1)+(F-218), (A1)+(F-220), (A1)+(F-221), (A1)+(F-222), (A1)+(F-223),(A1)+(F-224), (A1)+(F-225), (A1)+(F-226), (A1)+(F-227), (A1)+(F-229),(A1)+(F-230), (A1)+(F-231), (A1)+(F-232), (A1)+(F-233), (A1)+(F-234),(A1)+(F-235), (A1)+(F-236), (A1)+(F-238), (A1)+(F-239), (A1)+(F-240),(A1)+(F-241), (A1)+(F-242), (A1)+(F-243), (A1)+(F-244), (A1)+(F-245),(A1)+(F-246), (A1)+(F-247), (A1)+(F-248), (A1)+(F-249), (A1)+(F-250),(A1)+(F-251), (A1)+(F-252), (A1)+(F-253), (A1)+(F-254), (A1)+(F-255),(A1)+(F-256), (A1)+(F-257), (A1)+(F-258), (A1)+(F-259), (A1)+(F-260),(A1)+(F-261), (A1)+(F-262), (A1)+(F-263), (A1)+(F-264), (A1)+(F-265),(A1)+(F-266), (A1)+(F-267), (A1)+(F-269), (A1)+(F-270), (A1)+(F-271),(A1)+(F-272), (A1)+(F-273), (A1)+(F-274), (A1)+(F-275), (A1)+(F-276),(A1)+(F-277), (A1)+(F-278), (A1)+(F-279), (A1)+(F-280), (A1)+(F-281),(A1)+(F-282), (A1)+(F-283), (A1)+(F-284), (A1)+(F-286), (A1)+(F-288),(A1)+(F-289), (A1)+(F-290), (A1)+(F-291), (A1)+(F-26)+(F31),(A1)+(F-26)+(F-36), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-40), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-41),(A1)+(F-26)+(F-42), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-47), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-53),(A1)+(F-26)+(F-57), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-60), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-108),(A1)+(F-26)+(F-119), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-26)+(F-124),(A1)+(F-26)+(F-127); (A1)+(F-36)+(F-40), (A1)+(F-36)+(F-41),(A1)+(F-36)+(F-42), (A1)+(F-36)+(F-47), (A1)+(F-36)+(F-53),(A1)+(F-36)+(F-57), (A1)+(F-36)+(F-60), (A1)+(F-36)+(F-108),(A1)+(F-36)+(F-119), (A1)+(F-36)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-36)+(F-124),(A1)+(F-36)+(F-127), (A1)+(F-40)+(F-41), (A1)+(F-40)+(F-42),(A1)+(F-40)+(F-47), (A1)+(F-40)+(F-53), (A1)+(F-40)+(F-57),(A1)+(F-40)+(F-60), (A1)+(F-40)+(F-108), (A1)+(F-40)+(F-119),(A1)+(F-40)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-40)+(F-124), or (A1)+(F-40)+(F-127);(A1)+(F-41)+(F-42), (A1)+(F-41)+(F-47), (A1)+(F-41)+(F-53),(A1)+(F-41)+(F-57), (A1)+(F-41)+(F-60), (A1)+(F-41)+(F-108),(A1)+(F-41)+(F-119), (A1)+(F-41)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-41)+(F-124),(A1)+(F-41)+(F-127), (A1)+(F-42)+(F-53), (A1)+(F-42)+(F-57),(A1)+(F-42)+(F-60), (A1)+(F-42)+(F-108), (A1)+(F-42)+(F-119),(A1)+(F-42)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-42)+(F-124), (A1)+(F-42)+(F-127),(A1)+(F-47)+(F-53), (A1)+(F-47)+(F-57), (A1)+(F-47)+(F-60),(A1)+(F-47)+(F-108), (A1)+(F-47)+(F-119), (A1)+(F-47)+(F-123),(A1)+(F-47)+(F-124), (A1)+(F-47)+(F-127), (A1)+(F-53)+(F-57),(A1)+(F-53)+(F-60), (A1)+(F-53)+(F-108), (A1)+(F-53)+(F-119),(A1)+(F-53)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-53)+(F-124), (A1)+(F-53)+(F-127),(A1)+(F-57)+(F-60), (A1)+(F-57)+(F-108), (A1)+(F-57)+(F-119),(A1)+(F-57)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-57)+(F-124), (A1)+(F-57)+(F-127);(A1)+(F-60)+(F-108), (A1)+(F-60)+(F-119), (A1)+(F-60)+(F-123),(A1)+(F-60)+(F-124), (A1)+(F-60)+(F-127), (A1)+(F-108)+(F-119),(A1)+(F-108)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-108)+(F-124), (A1)+(F-108)+(F-127),(A1)+(F-119)+(F-123), (A1)+(F-119)+(F-124), (A1)+(F-119)+(F-127);(A1)+(F-123)+(F-124), (A1)+(F-123)+(F-127), or (A1)+(F-124)+(F-127)

are not yet known in the art.

Therefore, above defined plant yield increasing compositions, preferablythose comprising as mixture partners to Compound (A1) a combinationselected from the group consisting of (i) pyraclostrobin (F-57) andmetconazole (F-119), (ii) trifloxystrobin (F-60) and propiconazole(F-123), (iii) prothioconazole (F-124) and tebuconazole (F-127), (iv)fluoxastrobin (F-53) and prothioconazole (F-124), and (v)trifloxystrobin (F-60) and prothioconazole (F-124), (vi) bixafen (F-26)and prothioconazole (F-124), (vii) bixafen (F-26) and tebuconazole(F127), (viii) bixafen (F-26) and trifloxystrobin (F-60), morepreferably those comprising as mixture partners to Compound (A1) acombination selected from the group consisting of, (i) pyraclostrobin(F-57) and metconazole (F-119), (ii) trifloxystrobin (F-60) andpropiconazole (F-123), (iii) bixafen (F-26) and prothioconazole (F-124),are also a further object of the present invention.

Also more specifically, the insecticides to be combined with Compound(A), specifically Compound (A1), are selected from the group consistingof:

abamectin [=I-1], chlorpyrifos [=I-2], clothianidin [=I-3], cyazypyr[=I-4], deltamethrin [=I-5], emamectin-benzoate [=I-6], ethiprole[=I-7], fipronil [=I-8], flubendiamide [=I-9], flupyradifurone [=I-10],imidacloprid [=I-11], lambda-cyhalothrin [=I-12], lufenuron [=I-13],rynaxypyr [=I-14], spinosad [=I-15], spinoteram [=I-16], spirotetramate[=I-17], sulfoxaflor [=I-18], thiamethoxam [=I-19], thiodicarb [=I-20],triflumuron [=I-21], votivo [=I-22].

An even more preferred object of present invention, is the combined useof

(A1)+(I-1), (A1)+(I-2), (A1)+(I-3), (A1)+(I-4), (A1)+(I-5), (A1)+(I-6)(A1)+(I-7), (A1)+(I-8), (A1)+(I-9), (A1)+(I-10), (A1)+(I-11),(A1)+(I-12) (A1)+(I-13), (A1)+(I-14), (A1)+(I-15), (A1)+(I-16),(A1)+(I-17), (A1)+(I-18) (A1)+(I-19), (A1)+(I-20), (A1)+(I-3), or(A1)+(I-21), (A1)+(I-22),

for inducing specific growth regulating responses on plants, on seedsfrom which they grow or on the locus in which they grow in their normalhabitat, preferably in the absence of extraordinary environmentalconditions and, thereby, increasing the yield in such treated plants.

Even more specifically, the combination partners concerning the class ofinsecticides are selected from the group consisting of:

abamectin [=I-1], chlorpyrifos [=I-2], clothianidin [=I-3], fipronil[=I-8], flupyradifurone [=I-10], imidacloprid [=I-11],lambda-cyhalothrin [=I-12], lufenuron [=I-13], rynaxypyr [=I-14],spinoteram [=I-16], spirotetramate [=I-17], sulfoxaflor [=1-18],thiamethoxam [1=19], thiodicarb [=I-20], votivo [=I-22]for inducing specific growth regulating responses on plants, on seedsfrom which they grow and/or on the locus in which they grow in theirnormal habitat, preferably in the absence of extraordinary environmentalconditions and, thereby, increasing the yield in such treated plants . .. .

An even more preferred object of present invention is the combined useof

(A1)+(I-1)+(I-2), (A1)+(I-1)+(I-3), (A1)+(I-1)+(I-8), (A1)+(I-1)+(I-10),(A1)+(I-1)+(I-11), (A1)+(I-1)+(I-12), (A1)+(I-1)+(I-13),(A1)+(I-1)+(I-14), (A1)+(I-1)+(I-16), (A1)+(I-1)+(I-17),(A1)+(I-1)+(I-18), (A1)+(I-1)+(I-19), (A1)+(I-1)+(I-20),(A1)+(I-1)+(I-22), (A1)+(I-2)+(I-3), (A1)+(I-2)+(I-8),(A1)+(I-2)+(I-10), (A1)+(I-2)+(I-11), (A1)+(I-2)+(I-12),(A1)+(I-2)+(I-13), (A1)+(I-2)+(I-14), (A1)+(I-2)+(I-16),(A1)+(I-2)+(I-17), (A1)+(I-2)+(I-18), (A1)+(I-2)+(I-19),(A1)+(I-2)+(I-20), (A1)+(I-2)+(I-22), (A1)+(I-3)+(I-8),(A1)+(I-3)+(I-10), (A1)+(I-3)+(I-11), (A1)+(I-3)+(I-12),(A1)+(I-3)+(I-13), (A1)+(I-3)+(I-14), (A1)+(I-3)+(I-16),(A1)+(I-3)+(I-17), (A1)+(I-3)+(I-18), (A1)+(I-3)+(I-19),(A1)+(I-3)+(I-20), (A1)+(I-3)+(I-22), (A1)+(I-8)+(I-10),(A1)+(I-8)+(I-11), (A1)+(I-8)+(I-12), (A1)+(I-8)+(I-13),(A1)+(I-8)+(I-14), (A1)+(I-8)+(I-16), (A1)+(I-8)+(I-17),(A1)+(I-8)+(I-18), (A1)+(I-8)+(I-19), (A1)+(I-8)+(I-20),(A1)+(I-8)+(I-22), (A1)+(I-10)+(I-11), (A1)+(I-10)+(I-12),(A1)+(I-10)+(I-13), (A1)+(I-10)+(I-14), (A1)+(I-10)+(I-16),(A1)+(I-10)+(I-17), (A1)+(I-10)+(I-18), (A1)+(I-10)+(I-19),(A1)+(I-10)+(I-20), (A1)+(I-10)+(I-22), (A1)+(I-11)+(I-12),(A1)+(I-11)+(I-13), (A1)+(I-11)+(I-14), (A1)+(I-11)+(I-16),(A1)+(I-11)+(I-17), (A1)+(I-11)+(I-18), (A1)+(I-11)+(I-19),(A1)+(I-11)+(I-20), (A1)+(I-11)+(I-22), (A1)+(I-12)+(I-13),(A1)+(I-12)+(I-14), (A1)+(I-12)+(I-16), (A1)+(I-12)+(I-17),(A1)+(I-12)+(I-18), (A1)+(I-12)+(I-19), (A1)+(I-12)+(I-20),(A1)+(I-12)+(I-22), (A1)+(I-13)+(I-14), (A1)+(I-13)+(I-16),(A1)+(I-13)+(I-17), (A1)+(I-13)+(I-18), (A1)+(I-13)+(I-19),(A1)+(I-13)+(I-20), (A1)+(I-13)+(I-22), (A1)+(I-14)+(I-16),(A1)+(I-14)+(I-17), (A1)+(I-14)+(I-18), (A1)+(I-14)+(I-19),(A1)+(I-14)+(I-20), (A1)+(I-14)+(I-22), (A1)+(I-16)+(I-17),(A1)+(I-16)+(I-18), (A1)+(I-16)+(I-19), (A1)+(I-16)+(I-20),(A1)+(I-16)+(I-22), (A1)+(I-17)+(I-18), (A1)+(I-17)+(I-19),(A1)+(I-17)+(I-20), (A1)+(I-17)+(I-22), (A1)+(I-18)+(I-19),(A1)+(I-18)+(I-20), (A1)+(I-18)+(I-22), (A1)+(I-19)+(I-20),(A1)+(I-19)+(I-22), or (A1)+(I-20)+(I-22),

for inducing specific growth regulating responses on plants, on seedsfrom which they grow and/or on the locus in which they grow in theirnormal habitat, preferably in the absence of extraordinary environmentalconditions and, thereby, increasing the yield in such treated plants.

Plant yield increasing compositions comprising

(A1)+(I-1)+(I-2), (A1)+(I-1)+(I-3), (A1)+(I-1)+(I-8), (A1)+(I-1)+(I-10),(A1)+(I-1)+(I-11), (A1)+(I-1)+(I-12), (A1)+(I-1)+(I-13),(A1)+(I-1)+(I-14), (A1)+(I-1)+(I-16), (A1)+(I-1)+(17),(A1)+(I-1)+(I-18), (A1)+(I-1)+(I-20), (A1)+(I-1)+(I-22),(A1)+(I-2)+(I-3), (A1)+(I-2)+(I-8), (A1)+(I-2)+(I-10),(A1)+(I-2)+(I-11), (A1)+(I-2)+(I-12), (A1)+(I-2)+(I-13),(A1)+(I-2)+(I-14), (A1)+(I-2)+(I-16), (A1)+(I-2)+(I-17),(A1)+(I-2)+(I-18), (A1)+(I-1)+(I-19), (A1)+(I-2)+(I-20),(A1)+(I-2)+(I-22), (A1)+(I-3)+(I-8), (A1)+(I-3)+(I-10),(A1)+(I-3)+(I-11), (A1)+(I-3)+(I-12), (A1)+(I-3)+(I-13),(A1)+(I-3)+(I-14), (A1)+(I-3)+(I-16), (A1)+(I-3)+(I-17),(A1)+(I-3)+(I-18), (A1)+(I-3)+(I-19), (A1)+(I-3)+(I-20),(A1)+(I-3)+(I-22), (A1)+(I-8)+(I-10), (A1)+(I-8)+(I-11),(A1)+(I-8)+(I-12), (A1)+(I-8)+(I-13), (A1)+(I-8)+(I-14),(A1)+(I-8)+(I-16), (A1)+(I-8)+(I-17), (A1)+(I-8)+(I-18),(A1)+(I-8)+(I-19), (A1)+(I-8)+(I-20), (A1)+(I-8)+(I-22),(A1)+(I-10)+(I-11), (A1)+(I-10)+(I-12), (A1)+(I-10)+(I-13),(A1)+(I-10)+(I-14), (A1)+(I-10)+(I-16), (A1)+(I-10)+(17),(A1)+(I-10)+(I-18), (A1)+(I-10)+(I-19), (A1)+(I-10)+(I-20),(A1)+(I-10)+(I-22), (A1)+(I-11)+(I-12), (A1)+(I-11)+(I-13),(A1)+(I-11)+(I-14), (A1)+(I-11)+(I-16), (A1)+(I-11)+(I-17),(A1)+(I-11)+(I-18), (A1)+(I-11)+(I-19), (A1)+(I-11)+(I-20),(A1)+(I-11)+(I-22), (A1)+(I-12)+(I-13), (A1)+(I-12)+(I-14),(A1)+(I-12)+(I-16), (A1)+(I-12)+(I-17), (A1)+(I-12)+(I-18),(A1)+(I-12)+(I-19), (A1)+(I-12)+(I-20), (A1)+(I-12)+(I-22),(A1)+(I-13)+(I-14), (A1)+(I-13)+(I-16), (A1)+(I-13)+(17),(A1)+(I-13)+(I-18), (A1)+(I-13)+(I-20), (A1)+(I-13)+(I-22),(A1)+(I-14)+(I-16), (A1)+(I-14)+(I-17), (A1)+(I-14)+(I-18),(A1)+(I-14)+(I-19), (A1)+(I-14)+(I-20), (A1)+(I-14)+(I-22),(A1)+(I-16)+(I-17), (A1)+(I-16)+(I-18), (A1)+(I-16)+(I-19),(A1)+(I-16)+(I-20), (A1)+(I-16)+(I-22), (A1)+(I-17)+(I-18),(A1)+(I-17)+(I-19), (A1)+(I-17)+(I-20), (A1)+(I-17)+(I-22),(A1)+(I-18)+(I-19), (A1)+(I-18)+(I-20), (A1)+(I-18)+(I-22),(A1)+(I-19)+(I-20), (A1)+(I-19)+(I-22), or (A1)+(I-20)+(I-22),

are not yet known in the art.

Therefore, above defined compositions are also a further object of thepresent invention.

Also more specifically, the plant growth regulators to be combined withCompound (A) or Compound (A1) according to present invention, preferablyto be combined with Compound (A1), are selected from the groupconsisiting of:

Chlormequat-chloride (CCC) [=PGR-1], ethephon [=PGR-2], mepiquat[=PGR-3], trinexapac-ethyl [=PGR-4], 2,4-D (=PGR-5), MCPA (=PGR-6) and2,4-D Choline (=PGR-7)

A further preferred object of present invention, is the combined use of

(A1)+(PGR-1), (A1)+(PGR-2), (A1)+PGR-3), (A1)+(PGR-4), (A1)+(PGR-5),(A1)+(PGR-6), (A1)+(PGR-7), (A1)+(PGR-1)+(PGR-2), (A1)+(PGR-1)+(PGR-3),(A1)+(PGR-1)+(PGR-4), (A1)+(PGR-1)+(PGR-5), (A1)+(PGR-1)+(PGR-6),(A1)+(PGR-1)+(PGR-7), (A1)+(PGR-2)+(PGR-3), (A1)+(PGR-2)+(PGR-4),(A1)+(PGR-2)+(PGR-4), (A1)+(PGR-2)+(PGR-5), (A1)+(PGR-2)+(PGR-6),(A1)+(PGR-2)+(PGR-7), (A1)+(PGR-3)+(PGR-4), (A1)+(PGR-3)+(PGR-5),(A1)+(PGR-3)+(PGR-6), (A1)+(PGR-3)+(PGR-7), (A1)+(PGR-4)+(PGR-5),(A1)+(PGR-4)+(PGR-6), (A1)+(PGR-4)+(PGR-7), (A1)+(PGR-5)+(PGR-6),(A1)+(PGR-5)+(PGR-7), or (A1)+(PGR-6)+(PGR-7),

for inducing specific growth regulating responses on plants, on seedsfrom which they grow or on the locus in which they grow in their normalhabitat, preferably in the absence of extraordinary environmentalconditions and, thereby, increasing the yield in such treated plants.

An even more preferred object of present invention is the combined useof (A1)+(PGR-5)+(PGR6).

Plant yield increasing compositions comprising

(A1)+(PGR-1), (A1)+(PGR-2), (A1)+PGR-3), (A1)+(PGR-4), (A1)+(PGR-5),(A1)+(PGR-6), (A1)+(PGR-7), (A1)+(PGR-1)+(PGR-2), (A1)+(PGR-1)+(PGR-3),(A1)+(PGR-1)+(PGR-4), (A1)+(PGR-1)+(PGR-5), (A1)+(PGR-1)+(PGR-6),(A1)+(PGR-1)+(PGR-7), (A1)+(PGR-2)+(PGR-3), (A1)+(PGR-2)+(PGR-4),(A1)+(PGR-2)+(PGR-4), (A1)+(PGR-2)+(PGR-5), (A1)+(PGR-2)+(PGR-6),(A1)+(PGR-2)+(PGR-7), (A1)+(PGR-3)+(PGR-4), (A1)+(PGR-3)+(PGR-5),(A1)+(PGR-3)+(PGR-6), (A1)+(PGR-3)+(PGR-7). (A1)+(PGR-4)+(PGR-5),(A1)+(PGR-4)+(PGR-6), (A1)+(PGR-4)+(PGR-7) (A1)+(PGR-5)+(PGR-6),(A1)+(PGR-5)+(PGR-7), or (A1)+(PGR-6)+(PGR-7)

are not yet known in the art.

Therefore, such above defined combinations are also a further object ofthe present invention.

It is to be said that, even by claiming the preferred use of the abovedefined combinations of Compounds (A), preferably Compound (A1), withone or more compound(s) selected from the agrochemical compounds in theabsence of extraordinary environmental stress conditions, the combinedapplication might also be useful in cases where such extraordinaryenvironmental stress conditions do exist for a certain time period, or,preferably, in an interim phase, i.e. phases in which no extraordinaryenvironmental stress conditions do exist are interrupted by one or morephases in which extraordinary environmental conditions of identical ordifferent kind do occur.

More specifically, the use of Compound (A), preferably Compound (A1), incombination with one or more agrochemical compound(s), preferably withagrochemical compounds selected from the group of fungicides,insecticides, and plant-growth regulators, doesn't show non-expectedeffects on plants concerning yield increase only in the absence ofextraordinary environmental stress, but also on plants that are exposedto longer periods, preferably weeks, more preferably days ofextraordinary environmental stress conditions, preferably heat and/ordrought stress.

In accordance with the invention, it has additionally been found thatthe application, to plants or in their environment, of, of Compounds(A), preferably Compound (A1), either alone or in combination with otheragrochemical compounds, especially with those that are above defined asthe preferred ones from the group consisting of fungicides,insecticides, and plant growth regulators in combination with at leastone fertilizer as defined below is/are possible.

Fertilizers which can be used in accordance with the invention togetherwith the Compounds (A), preferably Compound (A1). either alone or incombination with other agrochemical compounds, especially with thosethat are above defined as the preferred ones from the group consistingof funigicides, insecticides, and plant growth regulators elucidated indetail above are generally organic and inorganic nitrogen-containingcompounds, for example ureas, urea/formaldehyde condensation products,amino acids, ammonium salts and ammonium nitrates, potassium salts(preferably chlorides, sulfates, nitrates), salts of phosphoric acidand/or salts of phosphorous acid (preferably potassium salts andammonium salts). In this context, particular mention should be made ofthe NPK fertilizers, i.e. fertilizers which contain nitrogen, phosphorusand potassium, calcium ammonium nitrate, i.e. fertilizers whichadditionally contain calcium, or ammonium nitrate sulfate (formula(NH4)2SO4 NH4NO3), ammonium phosphate and ammonium sulfate. Thesefertilizers are generally known to the person skilled in the art; seealso, for example, Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, 5thedition, vol. A 10, pages 323 to 431, Verlagsgesellschaft, Weinheim,1987.

The fertilizers may also contain salts of micronutrients (preferablycalcium, sulfur, boron, manganese, magnesium, iron, boron, copper, zinc,molybdenum and cobalt) and phytohormones (for example vitamin B1 andindole-3-acetic acid) or mixtures thereof. Fertilizers used inaccordance with the invention may also contain further salts, such asmonoammonium phosphate (MAP), diammonium phosphate (DAP), potassiumsulfate, potassium chloride, magnesium sulfate. Suitable amounts of thesecondary nutrients, or trace elements, are amounts of 0.5 to 5% byweight, based on the overall fertilizer. Further possible ingredientsare crop protection compositions, insecticides or fungicides, growthregulators or mixtures thereof. This will be explained in more detailbelow.

The fertilizers can be used, for example, in the form of powders,granules, prills or compactates. However, the fertilizers can also beused in liquid form, dissolved in an aqueous medium. In this case, it isalso possible to use dilute aqueous ammonia as the nitrogen fertilizer.Further possible constituents of fertilizers are described, for example,in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, 5th edition, 1987,Vol. A 10, pages 363 to 401, DE-A 41 28 828, DE-A 19 05 834 and DE-A 19631 764. The general composition of the fertilizers which, in the contextof the present invention, may take the form of straight and/or compoundfertilizers, for example composed of nitrogen, potassium or phosphorus,may vary within a wide range. In general, a content of 1 to 30% byweight of nitrogen (preferably 5 to 20% by weight), 1 to 20% by weightof potassium (preferably 3 to 15% by weight) and a content of 1 to 20%by weight of phosphorus (preferably 3 to 10% by weight) is advantageous.The microelement content is typically in the ppm range, preferably inthe range from 1 to 1000 ppm.

In the context of the present invention, the fertilizer and Compounds(A), preferably Compound (A1), either alone or in combination with otheragrochemical compounds, especially with those that are above defined asthe preferred ones from the group consisting of funigicides,insecticides, and plant growth regulators may be administeredsimultaneously, i.e. synchronously. However, it is also possible firstto apply the fertilizer and then Compounds (A), preferably Compound(A1), either alone or in combination with other agrochemical compounds,especially with those that are above defined as the preferred ones fromthe group consisting of funigicides, insecticides, and plant growthregulators, or first to apply Compounds (A), preferably Compound (A1),either alone or in combination with other agrochemical compounds,especially with those that are above defined as the preferred ones fromthe group consisting of funigicides, insecticides, and plant growthregulators, and then the fertilizer. In the case of nonsynchronousapplication of Compounds (A), preferably Compound (A1), either alone orin combination with other agrochemical compounds, especially with thosethat are above defined as the preferred ones from the group consistingof funigicides, insecticides, and plant growth regulators, and thefertilizer, the application in the context of the present invention is,however, effected in a functional relationship, especially within aperiod of generally 24 hours, preferably 18 hours, more preferably 12hours, specifically 6 hours, more specifically 4 hours, even morespecifically within 2 hours. In very particular embodiments of thepresent invention, Compounds (A), preferably Compound (A1), either aloneor in combination with other agrochemical compounds, especially withthose that are above defined as the preferred ones from the groupconsisting of funigicides, insecticides, and plant growth regulators andthe fertilizer are applied within a time frame of less than 1 hour,preferably less than 30 minutes, more preferably less than 15 minutes.

The active ingredients for use in accordance with the invention can beemployed in the following plants, for example, the enumeration whichfollows being nonlimiting.

The term “useful plants” as used here refers to crop plants which areemployed as plants for obtaining foods, animal feeds, fuels or forindustrial purposes, also including ornamentals, turfs, commonly usedtrees employed as ornamentals in the public and domestic sectors, andforestry trees. Forestry trees include trees for the production oftimber, cellulose, paper and products made from parts of the trees.

The useful plants include, for example, the following types of plants:cereals, for example wheat, barley, rye, triticale, durum (hard wheat),oats, hops, rice, corn, millet/sorghum and maize; beet, for examplesugar beet and fodder beet; fruits, for example pome fruit, stone fruitand soft fruit, for example apples, pears, plums, peaches, almonds,cherries and berries, for example strawberries, raspberries,blackberries; legumes, for example beans, lentils, peas and soybeans;oil crops, for example oilseed rape, mustard, poppies, olives,sunflowers, coconuts, castor oil plants, cacao beans and peanuts;cucurbits, for example pumpkin/squash, cucumbers and melons; fiberplants, for example cotton, flax, hemp and jute; citrus fruit, forexample oranges, lemons, grapefruit and tangerines; vegetables, forexample spinach, lettuce, asparagus, cabbage species, carrots, onions,tomatoes, potatoes and bell peppers; Lauraceae, for example avocado,Cinnamonum, camphor, or also plants such as tobacco, nuts, coffee,eggplant, sugarcane, tea, pepper, vine, grapevines, hops, bananas, latexplants, ornamentals, for example flowers, shrubs, deciduous trees andconiferous trees, and plants for turf and lawn. This enumeration doesnot constitute a limitation.

The following plants are considered to be particularly suitable targetcrops for the inventive use or method: oats, rye, triticale, durum,cotton, eggplant, turf, pome fruit, stone fruit, soft fruit, corn,wheat, barley, cucumber, tobacco, vines, rice, cereals, pear, pepper,beans, soybeans, oilseed rape, tomato, bell pepper, melons, cabbage,potatoes and apples.

Examples of trees which can be improved in accordance with the inventivemethod include: Abies sp., Eucalyptus sp., Picea sp., Pinus sp.,Aesculus sp., Platanus sp., Tilia sp., Acer sp., Tsuga sp., Fraxinussp., Sorbus sp., Betula sp., Crataegus sp., Ulmus sp., Quercus sp.,Fagus sp., Salix sp., Populus sp.

Preferred trees which can be improved in accordance with the inventivemethod include: from the tree species Aesculus: A. hippocastanum, A.pariflora, A. carnea; from the tree species Platanus: P. aceriflora, P.occidentalis, P. racemosa; from the tree species Picea: P. abies; fromthe tree species Pinus: P. radiate, P. ponderosa, P. contorta, P.sylvestre, P. elliottii, P. montecola, P. albicaulis, P. resinosa, P.palustris, P. taeda, P. flexilis, P. jeffregi, P. baksiana, P. strobes;from the tree species Eucalyptus: E. grandis, E. globulus, E.camadentis, E. nitens, E. obliqua, E. regnans, E. pilularus.

Particularly preferred trees which can be improved in accordance withthe inventive method include: from the tree species Pinus: P. radiate,P. ponderosa, P. contorta, P. sylvestre, P. strobes; from the treespecies Eucalyptus: E. grandis, E. globulus and E. camadentis.

Particularly preferred trees which can be improved in accordance withthe inventive method include: horse chestnut, Platanaceae, linden tree,maple tree.

The present invention can also be applied to any turf grasses, includingcool-season turf grasses and warm-season turf grasses. Examples ofcool-season turf grasses are bluegrasses (Poa spp.), such as Kentuckybluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), rough bluegrass (Poa trivialis L.), Canadabluegrass (Poa compressa L.), annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.), uplandbluegrass (Poa glaucantha Gaudin), wood bluegrass (Poa nemoralis L.) andbulbous bluegrass (Poa bulbosa L.); bentgrasses (Agrostis spp.) such ascreeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris Huds.), colonial bentgrass(Agrostis tenuis Sibth.), velvet bentgrass (Agrostis canina L.), SouthGerman Mixed Bentgrass (Agrostis spp. including Agrostis tenius Sibth.,Agrostis canina L., and Agrostis palustris Huds.), and redtop (Agrostisalba L.);

fescues (Festuca spp.), such as red fescue (Festuca rubra L. spp.rubra), creeping fescue (Festuca rubra L.), chewings fescue (Festucarubra commutata Gaud.), sheep fescue (Festuca ovina L.), hard fescue(Festuca longifolia Thuill.), hair fescue (Festuca capillata Lam.), tallfescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and meadow fescue (Festuca elanorL.);ryegrasses (Lolium spp.), such as annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorumLam.), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and italian ryegrass(Lolium multiflorum Lam.);and wheatgrasses (Agropyron spp.), such as fairway wheatgrass (Agropyroncristatum (L.) Gaertn.), crested wheatgrass (Agropyron desertorum(Fisch.) Schult.) and western wheatgrass (Agropyron smithii Rydb.).

Examples of further cool-season turfgrasses are beachgrass (Ammophilabreviligulata Fern.), smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.),cattails such as Timothy (Phleum pratense L.), sand cattail (Phleumsubulatum L.), orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.), weeping alkaligrass(Puccinellia distans (L.) Parl.) and crested dog's-tail (Cynosuruscristatus L.).

Examples of warm-season turfgrasses are Bermudagrass (Cynodon spp. L. C.Rich), zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp. Willd.), St. Augustine grass(Stenotaphrum secundatum Walt Kuntze), centipedegrass (Eremochloaophiuroides Munro Hack.), carpetgrass (Axonopus affinis Chase), Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge), Kikuyugrass (Pennisetum clandestinumHochst. ex Chiov.), buffalo grass (Buchloe dactyloids (Nutt.) Engelm.),Blue gramma (Bouteloua gracilis (H.B.K.) Lag. ex Griffiths), seashorepaspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Swartz) and sideoats grama (Boutelouacurtipendula (Michx. Torr.). Cool-season turfgrasses are generallypreferred for the use in accordance with the invention. Especiallypreferred are bluegrass, bentgrass and redtop, fescues and ryegrasses.Bentgrass is especially preferred.

Particular preference is given in accordance with the invention totreating plants of the plant cultivars which are in each casecommercially available or in use. Plant cultivars are understood to meanplants which have new properties (“traits”) and which have been obtainedby conventional breeding, by mutagenesis or with the aid of recombinantDNA techniques. Crop plants may accordingly be plants which can beobtained by conventional breeding and optimization methods or bybiotechnological and genetic engineering methods or combinations ofthese methods, including the transgenic plants and including the plantvarieties which can and cannot be protected by plant breeders' rights.

The inventive treatment method can thus also be used for the treatmentof genetically modified organisms (GMOs), e.g. plants or seeds.Genetically modified plants (or transgenic plants) are plants in which aheterologous gene has been stably integrated into the genome. Theexpression “heterologous gene” essentially means a gene which isprovided or assembled outside the plant and when introduced in thenuclear, chloroplastic or mitochondrial genome gives the transformedplant new or improved agronomic or other properties by expressing aprotein or polypeptide of interest or by downregulating or silencingother gene(s) which are present in the plant (using for exampleantisense technology, cosuppression technology or RNAi technology [RNAinterference]). A heterologous gene that is located in the genome isalso called a transgene. A transgene that is defined by its particularlocation in the plant genome is called a transformation or transgenicevent.

The inventive treatment method can further be used for the treatment ofgenetically modified organisms (GMOs), e.g. plants or seeds in which aheterologous gene has been transiently introduced e.g. using viralvectors.

Plants and plant varieties which are preferably treated according to theinvention include all plants which have genetic material which impartsparticularly advantageous, useful traits to these plants (whetherobtained by breeding and/or biotechnological means).

Plants and plant varieties which may also be treated according to theinvention are those plants characterized by enhanced yieldcharacteristics. Enhanced yield in said plants can be the result of, forexample, improved plant physiology, growth and development, such aswater use efficiency, water retention efficiency, improved nitrogen use,enhanced carbon assimilation, improved photosynthesis, increasedgermination efficiency and accelerated maturation. Yield can also beaffected by improved plant architecture (under stress and non-stressconditions), including early flowering, flowering control for hybridseed production, seedling vigor, plant size, internode number anddistance, root growth, seed size, fruit size, pod size, pod or earnumber, seed number per pod or ear, seed mass, enhanced seed filling,reduced seed dispersal, reduced pod dehiscence and lodging resistance.Further yield traits include seed composition, such as carbohydratecontent, protein content, oil content and composition, nutritionalvalue, reduction in anti-nutritional compounds, improved processabilityand better storage stability.

Plants that may likewise be treated according to the invention arehybrid plants that already express the characteristics of heterosis, orhybrid vigor, which results in generally higher yield, vigor, health andresistance toward biotic and abiotic stress factors. Such plants aretypically made by crossing an inbred male-sterile parent line (thefemale parent) with another inbred male-fertile parent line (the maleparent). Hybrid seed is typically harvested from the male-sterile plantsand sold to growers. Male-sterile plants can sometimes (e.g. in corn) beproduced by detasseling (i.e. the mechanical removal of the malereproductive organs or male flowers) but, more typically, male sterilityis the result of genetic determinants in the plant genome. In that case,and especially when seed is the desired product to be harvested from thehybrid plants, it is typically useful to ensure that male fertility inhybrid plants, which contain the genetic determinants responsible formale sterility, is fully restored. This can be accomplished by ensuringthat the male parents have appropriate fertility restorer genes whichare capable of restoring the male fertility in hybrid plants thatcontain the genetic determinants responsible for male sterility. Geneticdeterminants for male sterility may be located in the cytoplasm.Examples of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) were for instance describedfor Brassica species (WO 1992/005251, WO 1995/009910, WO 1998/27806, WO2005/002324, WO 2006/021972 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,229,072). However,genetic determinants for male sterility can also be located in thenuclear genome. Male-sterile plants can also be obtained by plantbiotechnology methods such as genetic engineering. A particularly usefulmeans of obtaining male-sterile plants is described in WO 89/10396 inwhich, for example, a ribonuclease such as a barnase is selectivelyexpressed in the tapetum cells in the stamens. Fertility can then berestored by expression in the tapetum cells of a ribonuclease inhibitorsuch as barstar (e.g. WO 1991/002069).

Plants or plant varieties (obtained by plant biotechnology methods suchas genetic engineering) which may also be treated according to theinvention are herbicide-tolerant plants, i.e. plants made tolerant toone or more given herbicides. Such plants can be obtained either bygenetic transformation, or by selection of plants containing a mutationimparting such herbicide tolerance.

Herbicide-tolerant plants are for example glyphosate-tolerant plants,i.e. plants made tolerant to the herbicide glyphosate or salts thereof.For example, glyphosate-tolerant plants can be obtained by transformingthe plant with a gene encoding the enzyme5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS). Examples of suchEPSPS genes are the AroA gene (mutant CT7) of the bacterium Salmonellatyphimurium (Comai et al., Science (1983), 221, 370-371), the CP4 geneof the bacterium Agrobacterium sp. (Barry et al., Curr. Topics PlantPhysiol. (1992), 7, 139-145), the genes encoding a petunia EPSPS (Shahet al., Science (1986), 233, 478-481), a tomato EPSPS (Gasser et al., J.Biol. Chem. (1988), 263, 4280-4289) or an Eleusine EPSPS (WO2001/66704). It can also be a mutated EPSPS, as described, for example,in EP-A 0837944, WO 2000/066746, WO 2000/066747 or WO 2002/026995.Glyphosate-tolerant plants can also be obtained by expressing a genethat encodes a glyphosate oxidoreductase enzyme as described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,776,760 and 5,463,175. Glyphosate-tolerant plants can alsobe obtained by expressing a gene that encodes a glyphosateacetyltransferase enzyme as described, for example, in WO 2002/036782,WO 2003/092360, WO 2005/012515 and WO 2007/024782. Glyphosate-tolerantplants can also be obtained by selecting plants containing naturallyoccurring mutations of the above-mentioned genes as described, forexample, in WO 2001/024615 or WO 2003/013226. Plants expressing EPSPSgenes that confer glyphosate tolerance are described in e.g. U.S. patentapplication Ser. Nos. 11/517,991, 10/739,610, 12/139,408, 12/352,532,11/312,866, 11/315,678, 12/421,292, 11/400,598, 11/651,752, 11/681,285,11/605,824, 12/468,205, 11/760,570, 11/762,526, 11/769,327, 11/769,255,11/943,801 or 12/362,774. Plants comprising other genes that conferglyphosate tolerance, such as decarboxylase genes, are described in e.g.U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/588,811, 11/185,342, 12/364,724,11/185,560 or 12/423,926.

Other herbicide-resistant plants are for example plants which have beenmade tolerant to herbicides inhibiting the enzyme glutamine synthase,such as bialaphos, phosphinothricin or glufosinate. Such plants can beobtained by expressing an enzyme detoxifying the herbicide or a mutantglutamine synthase enzyme that is resistant to inhibition e.g. describedin U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/760,602. One such efficientdetoxifying enzyme is, for example, an enzyme encoding aphosphinothricin acetyltransferase (such as the bar or pat protein fromStreptomyces species for example). Plants expressing an exogenousphosphinothricin acetyltransferase have been described, for example, inU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,561,236; 5,648,477; 5,646,024; 5,273,894; 5,637,489;5,276,268; 5,739,082; 5,908,810 and 7,112,665.

Further herbicide-tolerant plants are also plants that have been madetolerant to the herbicides inhibiting the enzymehydroxyphenylpyruvatedioxygenase (HPPD).Hydroxyphenylpyruvatedioxygenases are enzymes that catalyze the reactionin which para-hydroxyphenylpyruvate (HPP) is transformed intohomogentisate. Plants tolerant to HPPD inhibitors can be transformedwith a gene encoding a naturally occurring resistant HPPD enzyme such asan HPPD enzyme from non-plant organisms, such as described in WO2011/076877, WO 2011/076882, WO2011/076892, WO 2011/076885,WO2011/076889, or HPPD enzyme from a monocot plant, such as Avena sativaor Zea mays, or having at least 98% sequence identity to an enzyme ofAvena sativa or Zea mays, or an HPPD enzyme as described inWO/2011/076885, WO2011/076892, WO/2011/076877, WO/2011/076882,WO/2011/076889, or a gene encoding a mutated or chimeric HPPD enzymeaccording to WO 1996/038567, WO 1999/024585 and WO 1999/024586 WO2009/144079, WO 2002/046387, WO/2011/068567, WO/2010/085705, or U.S.Pat. No. 6,768,044. Tolerance to HPPD inhibitors can also be obtained bytransforming plants with genes encoding certain enzymes enabling theformation of homogentisate despite the inhibition of the native HPPDenzyme by the HPPD inhibitor. Such plants and genes are described in WO1999/034008 and WO 2002/36787. Tolerance of plants to HPPD inhibitorscan also be improved by transforming plants with a gene encoding aprephenate dehydrogenase enzyme in addition to a gene encoding anHPPD-tolerant enzyme, as described in WO 2004/024928.

Further herbicide-resistant plants are plants that have been madetolerant to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors. Known ALS inhibitorsinclude, for example, sulfonylurea, imidazolinone, triazolopyrimidines,pyrimidinyl oxy(thio)benzoates, and/or sulfonylaminocarbonyltriazolinoneherbicides. Different mutations in the ALS enzyme (also known asacetohydroxy acid synthase, AHAS) are known to confer tolerance todifferent herbicides and groups of herbicides, as described, forexample, in Tranel and Wright, Weed Science (2002), 50, 700-712, andalso in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,605,011, 5,378,824, 5,141,870 and 5,013,659.The production of sulfonylurea-tolerant plants andimidazolinone-tolerant plants has been described in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,605,011; 5,013,659; 5,141,870; 5,767,361; 5,731,180; 5,304,732;4,761,373; 5,331,107; 5,928,937; and 5,378,824; and also in theinternational publication WO 1996/033270. Further imidazolinone-tolerantplants have also been described, for example in WO 2004/040012, WO2004/106529, WO 2005/020673, WO 2005/093093, WO 2006/007373, WO2006/015376, WO 2006/024351 and WO 2006/060634. Further sulfonylurea-and imidazolinone-tolerant plants have also been described, for examplein WO 2007/024782, and U.S. Patent Application No. 61/288,958.

Other plants tolerant to imidazolinone and/or sulfonylurea can beobtained by induced mutagenesis, by selection in cell cultures in thepresence of the herbicide or by mutation breeding, as described, forexample, for soybeans in U.S. Pat. No. 5,084,082, for rice in WO1997/41218, for sugar beet in U.S. Pat. No. 5,773,702 and WO1999/057965, for lettuce in U.S. Pat. No. 5,198,599 or for sunflower inWO 2001/065922.

Plants or plant varieties (obtained by plant biotechnology methods suchas genetic engineering) which may also be treated according to theinvention are insect-resistant transgenic plants, i.e. plants maderesistant to attack by certain target insects. Such plants can beobtained by genetic transformation, or by selection of plants containinga mutation imparting such insect resistance.

In the present context, the term “insect-resistant transgenic plant”includes any plant containing at least one transgene comprising a codingsequence encoding:

1) an insecticidal crystal protein from Bacillus thuringiensis or aninsecticidal portion thereof, such as the insecticidal crystal proteinscompiled by Crickmore et al., Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews(1998), 62, 807-813, updated by Crickmore et al. (2005) in the Bacillusthuringiensis toxin nomenclature (online at:http://www.lifesci.sussex.ac.uk/Home/Neil_Crickmore/Bt/), orinsecticidal portions thereof, for example proteins of the Cry proteinclasses Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, Cry1F, Cry2Ab, Cry3Ae or Cry3Bb or insecticidalportions thereof (e.g. EP 1999141 and WO2007/107302) or such proteinsencoded by synthetic genes as described e.g; in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/249,016 or2) a crystal protein from Bacillus thuringiensis or a portion thereofwhich is insecticidal in the presence of a second crystal protein otherthan Bacillus thuringiensis or a portion thereof, such as the binarytoxin made up of the Cy34 and Cy35 crystal proteins (Moellenbeck et al.,Nat. Biotechnol. (2001), 19, 668-72; Schnepf et al., Applied Environm.Microb. (2006), 71, 1765-1774); or3) a hybrid insecticidal protein comprising parts of two differentinsecticidal crystal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis, such as ahybrid of the proteins of 1) above or a hybrid of the proteins of 2)above, for example the Cry1A.105 protein produced by corn event MON98034(WO 2007/027777); or4) a protein of any one of points 1) to 3) above wherein some,particularly 1 to 10, amino acids have been replaced by another aminoacid to obtain a higher insecticidal activity to a target insectspecies, and/or to expand the range of target insect species affected,and/or because of changes induced in the encoding DNA during cloning ortransformation, such as the Cry3Bb1 protein in corn events MON863 orMON88017, or the Cry3A protein in corn event MIR604; or5) an insecticidal secreted protein from Bacillus thuringiensis orBacillus cereus, or an insecticidal portion thereof, such as thevegetative insecticidal proteins (VIPs) listed under the following link,for example proteins from the VIP3Aa protein class:http://www.lifesci.sussex.ac.uk/Home/Neil_Crickmore/Bt/vip. html or6) a secreted protein from Bacillus thuringiensis or Bacillus cereuswhich is insecticidal in the presence of a second secreted protein fromBacillus thuringiensis or B. cereus, such as the binary toxin made up ofthe VIP1A and VIP2A proteins (WO 1994/21795); or7) a hybrid insecticidal protein comprising parts from differentsecreted proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis or Bacillus cereus, suchas a hybrid of the proteins in 1) above or a hybrid of the proteins in2) above; or8) a protein of any one of points 1) to 3) above wherein some,particularly 1 to 10, amino acids have been replaced by another aminoacid to obtain a higher insecticidal activity to a target insectspecies, and/or to expand the range of target insect species affected,and/or because of changes induced in the encoding DNA during cloning ortransformation (while still encoding an insecticidal protein), such asthe VIP3Aa protein in cotton event COT 102.

Of course, insect-resistant transgenic plants, as used herein, alsoinclude any plant comprising a combination of genes encoding theproteins of any one of the above classes 1 to 8. In one embodiment, aninsect-resistant plant contains more than one transgene encoding aprotein of any one of the above classes 1 to 8, to expand the range oftarget insect species affected or to delay insect resistance developmentto the plants, by using different proteins insecticidal to the sametarget insect species but having a different mode of action, such asbinding to different receptor binding sites in the insect.

An “insect-resistant transgenic plant”, as used herein, further includesany plant containing at least one transgene comprising a sequenceproducing upon expression a double-stranded RNA which upon ingestion bya plant insect pest inhibits the growth of this insect pest, asdescribed e.g. in WO 2007/080126, WO 2006/129204, WO 2007/074405, WO2007/080127 and WO 2007/035650.

Examples of nematode resistant plants are described in e.g. U.S. patentapplication Ser. Nos. 11/765,491, 11/765,494, 10/926,819, 10/782,020,12/032,479, 10/783,417, 10/782,096, 11/657,964, 12/192,904, 11/396,808,12/166,253, 12/166,239, 12/166,124, 12/166,209, 11/762,886, 12/364,335,11/763,947, 12/252,453, 12/209,354, 12/491,396 or 12/497,221.

Plants or plant varieties (obtained by plant biotechnology methods suchas genetic engineering) which may also be treated according to theinvention are tolerant to abiotic stress factors. Such plants can beobtained by genetic transformation, or by selection of plants containinga mutation imparting such stress resistance.

Particularly useful stress-tolerant plants include the following:

a. plants which contain a transgene capable of reducing the expressionand/or the activity of the poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) gene in theplant cells or plants, as described in WO 2000/004173 or EP 04077984.5or EP 06009836.5;b. plants which contain a stress tolerance-enhancing transgene capableof reducing the expression and/or the activity of the PARG encodinggenes of the plants or plant cells, as described, for example, in WO2004/090140;c. plants which contain a stress tolerance-enhancing transgene codingfor a plant-functional enzyme of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotidesalvage biosynthesis pathway, including nicotinamidase, nicotinatephosphoribosyl-transferase, nicotinic acid mononucleotideadenyltransferase, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide synthetase ornicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, as described, for example, in EP04077624.7 or WO 2006/133827 or PCT/EP07/002433.

Plants or plant varieties (obtained by plant biotechnology methods suchas genetic engineering) which may also be treated according to theinvention show altered quantity, quality and/or storage stability of theharvested product and/or altered properties of specific ingredients ofthe harvested product such as, for example:

1) Transgenic plants which synthesize a modified starch which is alteredwith respect to its chemophysical traits, in particular the amylosecontent or the amylose/amylopectin ratio, the degree of branching, theaverage chain length, the distribution of the side chains, the viscositybehavior, the gel resistance, the grain size and/or grain morphology ofthe starch in comparison to the synthesized starch in wild-type plantcells or plants, such that this modified starch is better suited forcertain applications. These transgenic plants synthesizing a modifiedstarch are described, for example, in EP 0571427, WO 1995/004826, EP0719338, WO 1996/15248, WO 1996/19581, WO 1996/27674, WO 1997/11188, WO1997/26362, WO 1997/32985, WO 1997/42328, WO 1997/44472, WO 1997/45545,WO 1998/27212, WO 1998/40503, WO 99/58688, WO 1999/58690, WO 1999/58654,WO 2000/008184, WO 2000/008185, WO 2000/28052, WO 2000/77229, WO2001/12782, WO 2001/12826, WO 2002/101059, WO 2003/071860, WO2004/056999, WO 2005/030942, WO 2005/030941, WO 2005/095632, WO2005/095617, WO 2005/095619, WO 2005/095618, WO 2005/123927, WO2006/018319, WO 2006/103107, WO 2006/108702, WO 2007/009823, WO2000/22140, WO 2006/063862, WO 2006/072603, WO 2002/034923, EP06090134.5, EP 06090228.5, EP 06090227.7, EP 07090007.1, EP 07090009.7,WO 2001/14569, WO 2002/79410, WO 2003/33540, WO 2004/078983, WO2001/19975, WO 1995/26407, WO 1996/34968, WO 1998/20145, WO 1999/12950,WO 1999/66050, WO 1999/53072, U.S. Pat. No. 6,734,341, WO 2000/11192, WO1998/22604, WO 1998/32326, WO 2001/98509, WO 2001/98509, WO 2005/002359,U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,824,790, 6,013,861, WO 1994/004693, WO 1994/009144, WO1994/11520, WO 1995/35026 and WO 1997/20936.2) Transgenic plants which synthesize non-starch carbohydrate polymersor which synthesize non-starch carbohydrate polymers with alteredproperties in comparison to wild-type plants without geneticmodification. Examples are plants which produce polyfructose, especiallyof the inulin and levan type, as described in EP 0663956, WO1996/001904, WO 1996/021023, WO 1998/039460 and WO 1999/024593, plantswhich produce alpha-1,4-glucans, as described in WO 1995/031553, US2002/031826, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,284,479, 5,712,107, WO 1997/047806, WO1997/047807, WO 1997/047808 and WO 2000/14249, plants which producealpha-1,6-branched alpha-1,4-glucans, as described in WO 2000/73422, andplants which produce alternan, as described in WO 2000/047727, EP06077301.7, U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,975 and EP 0728213.3) Transgenic plants which produce hyaluronan, as described, forexample, in WO 2006/032538, WO 2007/039314, WO 2007/039315, WO2007/039316, JP 2006/304779 and WO 2005/012529.4) 4) transgenic plants or hybrid plants, such as onions withcharacteristics such as ‘high soluble solids content’, ‘low pungency’(LP) and/or ‘long storage’ (LS), as described in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/020,360 and 61/054,026

Plants or plant varieties (obtained by plant biotechnology methods suchas genetic engineering) which may also be treated according to theinvention are plants, such as cotton plants, with altered fibercharacteristics. Such plants can be obtained by genetic transformation,or by selection of plants containing a mutation imparting such alteredfiber characteristics and include:

a) plants, such as cotton plants, which contain an altered form ofcellulose synthase genes, as described in WO 1998/000549;b) plants, such as cotton plants, which contain an altered form of rsw2or rsw3 homologous nucleic acids, as described in WO 2004/053219;c) plants, such as cotton plants, with an increased expression ofsucrose phosphate synthase, as described in WO 2001/017333;d) plants, such as cotton plants, with an increased expression ofsucrose synthase, as described in WO 02/45485;e) plants, such as cotton plants, wherein the timing of theplasmodesmatal gating at the basis of the fiber cell is altered, forexample through downregulation of fiber-selective β-1,3-glucanase, asdescribed in WO 2005/017157;f) plants, such as cotton plants, which have fibers with alteredreactivity, for example through the expression of theN-acetylglucosaminetransferase gene including nodC and chitin synthasegenes, as described in WO 2006/136351.

Plants or plant cultivars (obtained by plant biotechnology methods suchas genetic engineering) which may also be treated according to theinvention are plants, such as oilseed rape or related Brassica plants,with altered oil profile characteristics. Such plants can be obtained bygenetic transformation or by selection of plants containing a mutationimparting such altered oil characteristics and include:

a) plants, such as oilseed rape plants, which produce oil having a higholeic acid content, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,969,169, 5,840,946 or 6,323,392 or 6,063,947;b) plants, such as oilseed rape plants, which produce oil having a lowlinolenic acid content, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,270,828,6,169,190 or 5,965,755;c) plants, such as oilseed rape plants, which produce oil having a lowlevel of saturated fatty acids, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat.No. 5,434,283 or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/668,303

Plants or plant cultivars (that can be obtained by plant biotechnologymethods such as genetic engineering) which may also be treated accordingto the invention are plants, such as oilseed rape or related Brassicaplants, with altered seed shattering characteristics. Such plants can beobtained by genetic transformation, or by selection of plants contain amutation imparting such altered seed shattering characteristics andinclude plants such as oilseed rape plants with delayed or reduced seedshattering as described in U.S. Patent Appl. No. 61/135,230, WO09/068313and WO10/006732.

Particularly useful transgenic plants which may be treated according tothe invention are plants which comprise one or more genes which encodeone or more toxins and are the transgenic plants available under thefollowing trade names: YIELD GARD® (for example corn, cotton, soybeans),KnockOut® (for example corn), BiteGard® (for example corn), BT-Xtra®(for example corn), Bollgard® (cotton), Nucotn® (cotton), Nucotn 33B®(cotton), NatureGard® (for example corn), Protecta®, Agrisure® (corn),Herculex® (corn), MaizeGard® (corn), MaxGard™ (corn), TwinLink®(cotton), VIPCot® (cotton), Widestrike™ (cotton) and NewLeaf® (potato).Examples of herbicide-tolerant plants which may be mentioned are cornvarieties, cotton varieties and soybean varieties which are availableunder the following trade names: Roundup Ready® (tolerance toglyphosate, for example corn, cotton, soybeans), Glytol® (tolerance toglyphosate, cotton) Liberty Link® (tolerance to phosphinothricin, forexample oilseed rape, cotton, soybean), IMI® (tolerance toimidazolinone), Optimum™ Gat™ (tolerance to sulfonylurea and glyphosate)and SCS® (tolerance to sulfonylurea, for example corn) and Enlist™(tolerance to 2,4-D and glyphosate). Herbicide-resistant plants (plantsbred in a conventional manner for herbicide tolerance) which may bementioned include the varieties sold under the name Clearfield® (forexample corn). Further transgenic plant varieties having improvedcharacteristics are sold under trade names including InVigor® (canola),Amflora® (potatoes) Mavera® (corn). Varieties combining different eventsmay be sold under tradenames including SmartStax®.

Particularly useful transgenic plants which may be treated according tothe invention are plants containing transformation events, or acombination of transformation events, and that are listed for example inthe databases for various national or regional regulatory agenciesincluding Event 1143-14A (cotton, insect control, not deposited,described in WO2006/128569); Event 1143-51B (cotton, insect control, notdeposited, described in WO2006/128570); Event 1445 (cotton, herbicidetolerance, not deposited, described in US2002120964 or WO2002/034946);Event 17053 (rice, herbicide tolerance, deposited as PTA-9843, describedin WO2010/117737); Event 17314 (rice, herbicide tolerance, deposited asPTA-9844, described in WO2010/117735); Event 281-24-236 (cotton, insectcontrol—herbicide tolerance, deposited as PTA-6233, described inWO2005/103266 or US2005216969); Event 3006-210-23 (cotton, insectcontrol—herbicide tolerance, deposited as PTA-6233, described inUS2007143876 or WO2005/103266); Event 3272 (corn, quality trait,deposited as PTA-9972, described in WO2006098952 or US2006230473); Event40416 (corn, insect control—herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCCPTA-11508, described in WO2011/075593); Event 43A47 (corn, insectcontrol—herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCC PTA-11509, described inWO2011/075595); Event 5307 (corn, insect control, deposited as ATCCPTA-9561, described in WO2010/077816); Event ASR-368 (bent grass,herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCC PTA-4816, described inUS2006162007 or WO2004053062); Event B16 (corn, herbicide tolerance, notdeposited, described in US2003126634); Event BPS-CV127-9 (soybean,herbicide tolerance, deposited as NCIMB No. 41603, described inWO2010/080829); Event CE43-67B (cotton, insect control, deposited as DSMACC2724, described in US2009217423 or WO2006/128573); Event CE44-69D(cotton, insect control, not deposited, described in US20100024077);Event CE44-69D (cotton, insect control, not deposited, described inWO2006/128571); Event CE46-02A (cotton, insect control, not deposited,described in WO2006/128572); Event COT102 (cotton, insect control, notdeposited, described in US2006130175 or WO2004039986); Event COT202(cotton, insect control, not deposited, described in US2007067868 orWO2005054479); Event COT203 (cotton, insect control, not deposited,described in WO2005/054480); Event DAS40278 (corn, herbicide tolerance,deposited as ATCC PTA-10244, described in WO2011/022469); EventDAS-59122-7 (corn, insect control—herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCCPTA 11384, described in US2006070139); Event DAS-59132 (corn, insectcontrol—herbicide tolerance, not deposited, described in WO2009/100188);Event DAS68416 (soybean, herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCCPTA-10442, described in WO2011/066384 or WO2011/066360); EventDP-098140-6 (corn, herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCC PTA-8296,described in US2009137395 or WO2008/112019); Event DP-305423-1 (soybean,quality trait, not deposited, described in US2008312082 orWO2008/054747); Event DP-32138-1 (corn, hybridization system, depositedas ATCC PTA-9158, described in US20090210970 or WO2009/103049); EventDP-356043-5 (soybean, herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCC PTA-8287,described in US20100184079 or WO2008/002872); Event EE-1 (brinjal,insect control, not deposited, described in WO2007/091277); Event F1117(corn, herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCC 209031, described inUS2006059581 or WO1998/044140); Event GA21 (corn, herbicide tolerance,deposited as ATCC 209033, described in US2005086719 or WO1998/044140);Event GG25 (corn, herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCC 209032,described in US2005188434 or WO1998/044140); Event GHB119 (cotton,insect control—herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCC PTA-8398,described in WO2008/151780); Event GHB614 (cotton, herbicide tolerance,deposited as ATCC PTA-6878, described in US2010050282 or WO2007/017186);Event GJ11 (corn, herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCC 209030,described in US2005188434 or WO1998/044140); Event GM RZ13 (sugar beet,virus resistance, deposited as NCIMB-41601, described in WO2010/076212);Event H7-1 (sugar beet, herbicide tolerance, deposited as NCIMB 41158 orNCIMB 41159, described in US2004172669 or WO2004/074492); Event JOPLIN1(wheat, disease tolerance, not deposited, described in US2008064032);Event LL27 (soybean, herbicide tolerance, deposited as NCIMB41658,described in WO2006/108674 or US2008320616); Event LL55 (soybean,herbicide tolerance, deposited as NCIMB 41660, described inWO2006/108675 or US2008196127); Event LLcotton25 (cotton, herbicidetolerance, deposited as ATCC PTA-3343, described in WO2003013224 orUS2003097687); Event LLRICE06 (rice, herbicide tolerance, deposited asATCC-23352, described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,468,747 or WO2000/026345);Event LLRICE601 (rice, herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCC PTA-2600,described in US20082289060 or WO2000/026356); Event LY038 (corn, qualitytrait, deposited as ATCC PTA-5623, described in US2007028322 orWO2005061720); Event MIR162 (corn, insect control, deposited asPTA-8166, described in US2009300784 or WO2007/142840); Event MIR604(corn, insect control, not deposited, described in US2008167456 orWO2005103301); Event MON15985 (cotton, insect control, deposited as ATCCPTA-2516, described in US2004-250317 or WO2002/100163); Event MON810(corn, insect control, not deposited, described in US2002102582); EventMON863 (corn, insect control, deposited as ATCC PTA-2605, described inWO2004/011601 or US2006095986); Event MON87427 (corn, pollinationcontrol, deposited as ATCC PTA-7899, described in WO2011/062904); EventMON87460 (corn, stress tolerance, deposited as ATCC PTA-8910, describedin WO2009/111263 or US20110138504); Event MON87701 (soybean, insectcontrol, deposited as ATCC PTA-8194, described in US2009130071 orWO2009/064652); Event MON87705 (soybean, quality trait—herbicidetolerance, deposited as ATCC PTA-9241, described in US20100080887 orWO2010/037016); Event MON87708 (soybean, herbicide tolerance, depositedas ATCC PTA9670, described in WO2011/034704); Event MON87754 (soybean,quality trait, deposited as ATCC PTA-9385, described in WO2010/024976);Event MON87769 (soybean, quality trait, deposited as ATCC PTA-8911,described in US20110067141 or WO2009/102873); Event MON88017 (corn,insect control—herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCC PTA-5582,described in US2008028482 or WO2005/059103); Event MON88913 (cotton,herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCC PTA-4854, described inWO2004/072235 or US2006059590); Event MON89034 (corn, insect control,deposited as ATCC PTA-7455, described in WO2007/140256 or US2008260932);Event MON89788 (soybean, herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCCPTA-6708, described in US2006282915 or WO2006/130436); Event MS11(oilseed rape, pollination control—herbicide tolerance, deposited asATCC PTA-850 or PTA-2485, described in WO2001/031042); Event MS8(oilseed rape, pollination control—herbicide tolerance, deposited asATCC PTA-730, described in WO2001/041558 or US2003188347); Event NK603(corn, herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCC PTA-2478, described inUS2007-292854); Event PE-7 (rice, insect control, not deposited,described in WO2008/114282); Event RF3 (oilseed rape, pollinationcontrol—herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCC PTA-730, described inWO2001/041558 or US2003188347); Event RT73 (oilseed rape, herbicidetolerance, not deposited, described in WO2002/036831 or US2008070260);Event T227-1 (sugar beet, herbicide tolerance, not deposited, describedin WO2002/44407 or US2009265817); Event T25 (corn, herbicide tolerance,not deposited, described in US2001029014 or WO2001/051654); EventT304-40 (cotton, insect control—herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCCPTA-8171, described in US2010077501 or WO2008/122406); Event T342-142(cotton, insect control, not deposited, described in WO2006/128568);Event TC1507 (corn, insect control—herbicide tolerance, not deposited,described in US2005039226 or WO2004/099447); Event VIP1034 (corn, insectcontrol—herbicide tolerance, deposited as ATCC PTA-3925., described inWO2003/052073), Event 32316 (corn, insect control-herbicide tolerance,deposited as PTA-11507, described in WO2011/084632), Event 4114 (corn,insect control-herbicide tolerance, deposited as PTA-11506, described inWO2011/084621).

The Compounds (A), preferably Compound (A1) to be used in accordancewith the invention, either alone or in combination with otheragrochemical compounds, especially with those that are above defined asthe preferred ones from the group consisting of funigicides,insecticides, and plant growth regulators, can be converted to customaryformulations, such as solutions, emulsions, wettable powders, water- andoil-based suspensions, powders, dusts, pastes, soluble powders, solublegranules, granules for broadcasting, suspoemulsion concentrates, naturalcompounds impregnated with active ingredient, synthetic substancesimpregnated with active ingredient, fertilizers, and alsomicroencapsulations in polymeric substances. In the context of thepresent invention, it is especially preferred when Compounds (A),preferably Compound (A1) are/is used in accordance with the invention,either alone or in combination with other agrochemical compounds,especially with those that are above defined as the preferred ones fromthe group consisting of funigicides, insecticides, and plant growthregulators are used in the form of a spray formulation.

The present invention therefore also relates to a spray formulation forincreasing the yield of useful plants or crop plants with respect totheir harvested plant organs.

A spray formulation is described in detail hereinafter: The formulationsfor spray application are produced in a known manner, for example bymixing Compounds (A), preferably Compound (A1) to be used in accordancewith the invention, either alone or in combination with otheragrochemical compounds, especially with those that are above defined asthe preferred ones from the group consisting of funigicides,insecticides, and plant growth regulators invention with extenders, i.e.liquid solvents and/or solid carriers, optionally with use ofsurfactants, i.e. emulsifiers and/or dispersants and/or foam formers.Further customary additives, for example customary extenders andsolvents or diluents, dyes, wetting agents, dispersants, emulsifiers,antifoams, preservatives, secondary thickeners, stickers, gibberellinsand also water, can optionally also be used. The formulations areprepared either in suitable equipment or else before or duringapplication.

The auxiliaries used may be those substances which are suitable forimparting, to the composition itself and/or to preparations derivedtherefrom (for example spray liquors), particular properties such asparticular technical properties and/or else special biologicalproperties. Useful typical auxiliaries include: extenders, solvents andcarriers.

Suitable extenders are, for example, water, polar and nonpolar organicchemical liquids, for example from the classes of the aromatic andnonaromatic hydrocarbons (such as paraffins, alkylbenzenes,alkylnaphthalenes, chlorobenzenes), the alcohols and polyols (which mayoptionally also be substituted, etherified and/or esterified), theketones (such as acetone, cyclohexanone), esters (including fats andoils) and (poly)ethers, the unsubstituted and substituted amines,amides, lactams (such as N-alkylpyrrolidones) and lactones, the sulfonesand sulfoxides (such as dimethyl sulfoxide).

If the extender used is water, it is also possible to use, for example,organic solvents as auxiliary solvents. Useful liquid solvents areessentially: aromatics such as xylene, toluene or alkylnaphthalenes,chlorinated aromatics and chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons such aschlorobenzenes, chloroethylenes or methylene chloride, aliphatichydrocarbons such as cyclohexane or paraffins, for example petroleumfractions, mineral and vegetable oils, alcohols such as butanol orglycol and also their ethers and esters, ketones such as acetone, methylethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone or cyclohexanone, strongly polarsolvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide, and also water.

It is possible to use dyes such as inorganic pigments, for example ironoxide, titanium oxide and Prussian Blue, and organic dyes such asalizarin dyes, azo dyes and metal phthalocyanine dyes, and tracenutrients such as salts of iron, manganese, boron, copper, cobalt,molybdenum and zinc.

Useful wetting agents which may be present in the formulations usable inaccordance with the invention are all substances which promote wettingand which are conventionally used for the formulation of activeagrochemical ingredients.

Preference is given to using alkyl naphthalenesulfonates, such asdiisopropyl or diisobutyl naphthalenesulfonates.

Useful dispersants and/or emulsifiers which may be present in theformulations usable in accordance with the invention are all nonionic,anionic and cationic dispersants conventionally used for the formulationof active agrochemical ingredients. Usable with preference are nonionicor anionic dispersants or mixtures of nonionic or anionic dispersants.Suitable nonionic dispersants are especially ethylene oxide/propyleneoxide block polymers, alkylphenol polyglycol ethers and tristryrylphenolpolyglycol ether, and the phosphated or sulfated derivatives thereof.

Suitable anionic dispersants are especially lignosulfonates, salts ofpolyacrylic acid and arylsulfonate/formaldehyde condensates.

Antifoams which may be present in the formulations usable in accordancewith the invention are all foam-inhibiting substances conventionallyused for the formulation of active agrochemical ingredients. Usable withpreference are silicone antifoams and magnesium stearate.

Preservatives which may be present in the formulations usable inaccordance with the invention are all substances usable for suchpurposes in agrochemical compositions. Examples include dichloropheneand benzyl alcohol hemiformal.

Secondary thickeners which may be present in the formulations usable inaccordance with the invention are all substances usable for suchpurposes in agrochemical compositions. Preference is given to cellulosederivatives, acrylic acid derivatives, xanthan, modified clays andfinely divided silica.

Stickers which may be present in the formulations usable in accordancewith the invention include all customary binders usable in seed-dressingproducts. Preferred examples include polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinylacetate, polyvinyl alcohol and tylose. Gibberellins which may be presentin the formulations usable in accordance with the invention maypreferably be gibberellins A1, A3 (=gibberellic acid), A4 and A7;particular preference is given to using gibberellic acid. Thegibberellins are known (cf. R. Wegler “Chemie der Pflanzenschutz- undSchädlingsbekämpfungsmittel” [Chemistry of Crop Protection Compositionsand Pesticides], vol. 2, Springer Verlag, 1970, p. 401-412).

Further additives may be fragrances, mineral or vegetable, optionallymodified oils, waxes and nutrients (including trace nutrients), such assalts of iron, manganese, boron, copper, cobalt, molybdenum and zinc.Additionally present may be stabilizers, such as cold stabilizers,antioxidants, light stabilizers or other agents which improve chemicaland/or physical stability.

The formulations contain generally between 0.01 and 98% by weight,preferably between 0.5 and 90%, of the compound of the formula (I).

In wettable powders, the active ingredient concentration is, forexample, from about 10 to 90% by weight; the remainder to 100% by weightconsists of customary formulation constituents. In the case ofemulsifiable concentrates, the active ingredient concentration may befrom about 1 to 90% by weight, preferably from 5 to 80% by weight.Dust-type formulations contain from 1 to 30% by weight of activeingredient, preferably usually from 5 to 20% by weight of activeingredient; sprayable solutions contain from about 0.05 to 80% byweight, preferably from 2 to 50% by weight of active ingredient. Inwater-dispersible granules, the active ingredient content depends partlyon whether the active compound is present in solid or liquid form andwhich granulation assistants, fillers, etc. are used. In the granulesdispersible in water, the content of active ingredient is, for example,between 1 and 95% by weight, preferably between 10 and 80% by weight.

The active ingredient when used according to present invention may bepresent in its commercially available formulations and in the use forms,prepared from these formulations, in a mixture with other activeingredients, such as insecticides, attractants, sterilants,bactericides, acaricides, nematicides, fungicides, growth regulators,herbicides, safeners, fertilizers or semiochemicals.

Preferred times for the application of compounds of the formula (I) forregulating plant growth are treatments of the soil, stems and/or leaveswith the approved application rates.

Compounds (A), preferably Compound (A1), when used according to presentinvention, either solely or in combination with one or more abovementioned preferred agrochemical compounds, may generally additionallybe present in their commercial formulations and in the use formsprepared from these formulations in mixtures with other activeingredients, such as insecticides, attractants, sterilants, acaricides,nematicides, fungicides, growth regulators, substances which influenceplant maturity, safeners or herbicides. Particularly further suitablemixing partners are, for example, the active ingredients of thedifferent classes, specified below in groups, without any preferenceresulting from the sequence thereof:

Bactericides:

bronopol, dichlorophen, nitrapyrin, nickel dimethyldithiocarbamate,kasugamycin, octhilinone, furancarboxylic acid, oxytetracycline,probenazole, streptomycin, tecloftalam, copper sulfate and other copperpreparations.

Insecticides/Acaricides/Nematicides:

I1) acetylcholine esterase (AChE) inhibitors, a) from the substancegroup of the carbamates, for example alanycarb, aldicarb, aldoxycarb,allyxycarb, aminocarb, bendiocarb, benfuracarb, bufencarb, butacarb,butocarboxim, butoxycarboxim, carbaryl, carbofuran, carbosulfan,cloethocarb, dimetilan, ethiofencarb, fenobucarb, fenothiocarb,fenoxycarb, formetanate, furathiocarb, isoprocarb, metam-sodium,methio-carb, metho-myl, metolcarb, oxamyl, pirimicarb, pro-mecarb,propoxur, thiofanox, trimethacarb, XMC, xylylcarb, triazamate, b) fromthe group of the organophosphates, for example acephate, azamethiphos,azinphos (-methyl, ethyl), bromophos-ethyl, bromfenvinfos (-methyl),butathiofos, cadusafos, carbophenothion, chlorethoxyfos,chlorfenvinphos, chlormephos, coumaphos, cyanofenphos, cyanophos,chlorfenvinphos, demeton-S-methyl, demeton-S-methylsulfone, dialifos,diazinon, dichlofenthion, dichlorvos/DDVP, dicrotophos, dimethoate,dimethylvinphos, dioxabenzofos, disulfoton, EPN, ethion, ethoprophos,etrimfos, famphur, fenamiphos, fenitrothion, fensulfothion, fenthion,flupyrazofos, fonofos, formothion, fosmethilan, fosthiazate,heptenophos, iodofenphos, iprobenfos, isazofos, isofenphos, isopropylO-salicylate, isoxathion, malathion, mecarbam, methacrifos,methamidophos, methidathion, mevinphos, monocrotophos, naled, omethoate,oxydemeton-methyl, parathion (-methyl/-ethyl), phenthoate, phorate,phosalone, phosmet, phosphamidon, phosphocarb, phoxim, pirimiphos(-methyl/-ethyl), profenofos, propaphos, propetamphos, prothiofos,prothoate, pyraclofos, pyridaphenthion, pyridathion, quinalphos,sebufos, sulfotep, sulprofos, tebupirimfos, temephos, terbufos,tetrachlorvinphos, thiometon, triazophos, triclorfon, vamidothionI2) sodium channel modulators/voltage-dependent sodium channel blockers,a) from the group of the pyrethroids, for example acrinathrin, allethrin(d-cis-trans, d-trans), beta-cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, bioallethrin,bioallethrin-S-cyclopentyl isomer, bioethanomethrin, biopermethrin,bioresmethrin, chlovaporthrin, cis-cypermethrin, cis-resmethrin,cis-permethrin, clocythrin, cycloprothrin, cyfluthrin, cyhalothrin,cypermethrin (alpha-, beta-, theta-, zeta-), cyphenothrin, eflusilanate,empenthrin (1R isomer), esfenvalerate, etofenprox, fenfluthrin,fenpropathrin, fenpyrithrin, fenvalerate, flubrocythrinate,flucythrinate, flufenprox, flumethrin, fluvalinate, fubfenprox,gamma-cyhalothrin, imiprothrin, kadethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin,metofluthrin, permethrin (cis-, trans-), phenothrin (1R-trans isomer),prallethrin, profluthrin, protrifenbute, pyresmethrin, pyrethrin,resmethrin, RU 15525, silafluofen, tau-fluvalinate, tefluthrin,terallethrin, tetramethrin (1R isomer), tralomethrin, transfluthrin, ZXI8901, pyrethrins (pyrethrum), b) DDT, c) oxadiazines, for exampleindoxacarb, d) semicarbazones, for example metaflumizone (BAS3201)I3) acetylcholine receptor agonists/antagonists, a) from the group ofthe chloronicotinyls,for example acetamiprid, AKD 1022, dinotefuran, imidaclothiz,nitenpyram, nithiazine, thiacloprid, b) nicotine, bensultap, cartap;I4) acetylcholine receptor modulators from the group of the spinosyns,I5) GABA-controlled chloride channel antagonists, a) from the group ofthe organochlorines, for example camphechlor, chlorodane, endosulfan,gamma-HCH, HCH, heptachlor, lindane, methoxychlor, b) fiproles, forexample acetoprole, pyrafluprole, pyriprole, vaniliprole;I6) chloride channel activators, for example emamectin, ivermectin,lepimectin, milbemycin;I7) juvenile hormone mimetics, for example diofenolan, epofenonane,fenoxycarb, hydroprene, kinoprene, methoprene, pyriproxifen, triprene;I8) ecdysone agonists/disruptors, for example chromafenozide,halofenozide, methoxyfenozide, tebufenozide;I9) chitin biosynthesis inhibitors, for example bistrifluron,chlofluazuron, diflubenzuron, fluazuron, flucycloxuron, flufenoxuron,hexaflumuron, novaluron, noviflumuron, penfluron, teflubenzuron,buprofezin, cyromazine;I10) inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation, a) ATP disruptors, forexample diafenthiuron, b) organotin compounds, for example azocyclotin,cyhexatin, fenbutatin oxide;I11) decouplers of oxidative phosphorylation by interruption of theH-proton gradient, a) from the group of the pyrroles, for examplechlorofenapyr, b) from the class of the dinitrophenols, for examplebinapacyrl, dinobuton, dinocap, DNOC, meptyldinocap;I12) site I electron transport inhibitors, for example METIs,especially, as examples, fenazaquin, fenpyroximate, pyrimidifen,pyridaben, tebufenpyrad, tolfenpyrad or else hydramethylnon, dicofolI13) site II electron transport inhibitors, for example rotenoneI14) site III electron transport inhibitors, for example acequinocyl,fluacrypyrimI15) microbial disruptors of the insect gut membrane, for exampleBacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis, Bacillus sphaericus,Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies aizawai, Bacillus thuringiensissubspecies kurstaki, Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies tenebrionis, andBT plant proteins, for example Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, Cry1 Fa, Cry2Ab, mCry3A,Cry3Ab, Cry3Bb, Cry34/35Ab1I16) lipid synthesis inhibitors, a) from the group of the tetronicacids, for example spirodiclofen, spiromesifen, b) from the class of thetetramic acids, for example spirotetramat,cis-3-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)-4-hydroxy-8-methoxy-1-azaspiro[4.5]dec-3-en-2-oneI17) octopaminergic agonists, for example amitrazI18) inhibitors of magnesium-stimulated ATPase, for example propargiteI19) nereistoxin analogs, for example thiocyclam hydrogen oxalate,thiosultap-sodiumI20) ryanodine receptor agonists, a) from the group of thebenzenedicarboxamides, b) from the group of the anthranilamides,3-bromo-N-{2-bromo-4-chloro-6-[(1-cyclopropylethyl)carbamoyl]phenyl}-1-(3-chloropyridin-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxamide(known from WO2005/077934) or methyl2-[3,5-dibromo-2-({[3-bromo-1-(3-chloropyridin-2-yl)-1H-pyrazol-5-yl]carbonyl}amino)benzoyl]-1,2-dimethylhydrazinecarboxylate(known from WO2007/043677)I21) biologics, hormones or pheromones, for example azadirachtin,Bacillus spec., Beauveria spec., codlemone, Metarrhizium spec.,Paecilomyces spec., thuringiensin, Verticillium spec.I22) active ingredients with unknown or nonspecific mechanisms ofaction, a) fumigants, for example aluminum phosphide, methyl bromide,sulfuryl fluoride, b) antifeedants, for example cryolite, flonicamide,pymetrozine, c) mite growth inhibitors, for example clofentezine,etoxazole, hexythiazox, d) amidoflumet, benclothiaz, benzoximate,bifenazate, bromopropylate, buprofezin, chinomethionat, chlorodimeform,chlorobenzilate, chloropicrin, clothiazoben, cycloprene, cyflumetofen,dicyclanil, fenoxacrim, fentrifanil, flubenzimine, flufenerim,flutenzin, gossyplure, hydramethylnone, japonilure, metoxadiazone,petroleum, piperonyl butoxide, potassium oleate, pyridalyl, sulfluramid,tetradifon, tetrasul, triarathene, verbutin and the following knownactive compounds:4-{[(6-bromopyrid-3-yl)methyl](2-fluoroethyl)amino}furan-2(5H)-one(known from WO 2007/115644),4-{[(6-fluoropyrid-3-yl)methyl](2,2-difluoroethyl)amino}furan-2(5H)-one(known from WO 2007/115644),4-{[(2-chloro-1,3-thiazol-5-yl)methyl](2-fluoroethyl)amino}furan-2(5H)-one(known from WO 2007/115644),4-{[(6-chloropyrid-3-yl)methyl](2-fluoroethyl)amino}furan-2(5H)-one(known from WO 2007/115644),4-{[(6-chloropyrid-3-yl)methyl](2,2-difluoroethyl)amino}furan-2(5H)-one(known from WO 2007/115644),4-{[(6-chloro-5-fluoropyrid-3-yl)methyl](methyl)amino}furan-2(5H)-one(known from WO 2007/115643),4-{[(5,6-dichloropyrid-3-yl)methyl](2-fluoroethyl)amino}furan-2(5H)-one(known from WO 2007/115646),4-{[(6-chloro-5-fluoropyrid-3-yl)methyl](cyclopropyl)amino}furan-2(5H)-one(known from WO 2007/115643),4-{[(6-chloropyrid-3-yl)methyl](cyclopropyl)amino}furan-2(5H)-one (knownfrom EP0539588), 4-{[(6-chloropyrid-3-yl)methyl(methyl)amino}furan-2(5H)-one (known from EP0539588),[1-(6-chloropyridin-3-yl)ethyl](methyl)oxido-λ4-sulfanylidenecyanamide(known from WO 2007/149134) and the diastereomers thereof{[(1R)-1-(6-chloropyridin-3-yl)ethyl](methyl)oxido-lambda6-sulfanylidene}cyanamideand {[(1S)-1-(6-chloropyridin-3-yl)ethyl](methyl)oxido-lambda6-sulfanylidene}cyanamide(likewise known from WO 2007/149134) and1-[2-fluoro-4-methyl-5-[(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)sulfinyl]phenyl]-3-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-5-amine(known from WO 2006/043635), [(3S,4aR,12R, 12aS,12bS)-3-[(cyclopropylcarbonyl)oxy]-6,12-dihydroxy-4,12b-dimethyl-11-oxo-9-(pyridin-3-yl)-1,3,4,4a,5,6,6a,12,12a, 12b-decahydro-2H,11H-benzo[f]pyrano[4,3-b]chromen-4-yl]methylcyclopropane-carboxylate (known from WO 2006/129714),2-cyano-3-(difluoromethoxy)-N,N-dimethylbenzenesulfonamide (known fromWO2006/056433), 2-cyano-3-(difluoromethoxy)-N-methylbenzenesulfonamide(known from WO2006/100288),2-cyano-3-(difluoromethoxy)-N-ethylbenzenesulfonamide (known fromWO2005/035486),4-(difluoromethoxy)-N-ethyl-N-methyl-1,2-benzothiazole-3-amine1,1-dioxide (known from WO2007/057407),N-[1-(2,3-dimethylphenyl)-2-(3,5-dimethylphenyl)ethyl]-4,5-dihydro-1,3-thiazole-2-amine(known from WO2008/104503),{1′-[(2E)-3-(4-chlorophenyl)prop-2-en-1-yl]-5-fluorospiro[indole-3,4′-piperidin]-1(2H)-yl}(2-chloropyridin-4-yl)methanone(known from WO2003106457),3-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)-4-hydroxy-8-methoxy-1,8-diazaspiro[4.5]dec-3-en-2-one(known from WO2009049851),3-(2,5-dimethylphenyl)-8-methoxy-2-oxo-1,8-diazaspiro[4.5]dec-3-en-4-ylethyl carbonate (known from WO2009049851),4-(but-2-yn-1-yloxy)-6-(3,5-dimethylpiperidin-1-yl)-5-fluoropyrimidine(known from WO2004099160),(2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5-octafluoropentyl)(3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)malononitrile(known from WO2005063094),(2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5-octafluoropentyl)(3,3,4,4,4-pentafluorobutyl)malononitrile(known from WO2005063094),8-[2-(cyclopropylmethoxy)-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]-3-[6-(trifluoromethyl)pyridazin-3-yl]-3-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane(known from WO2007040280/282),2-ethyl-7-methoxy-3-methyl-6-[(2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-6-yl)oxy]quinolin-4-ylmethyl carbonate (known from JP2008110953),2-ethyl-7-methoxy-3-methyl-6-[(2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-6-yl)oxy]quinolin-4-ylacetate (known from JP2008110953), PF1364 (Chemical Abstracts No.1204776-60-2, known from JP2010018586),5-[5-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)-4,5-dihydro-1,2-oxazol-3-yl]-2-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)benzonitrile(known from WO2007075459),5-[5-(2-chloropyridin-4-yl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)-4,5-dihydro-1,2-oxazol-3-yl]-2-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)benzonitrile(known from WO2007075459),4-[5-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-5-(trifluoromethyl)-4,5-dihydro-1,2-oxazol-3-yl]-2-methyl-N-{2-oxo-2-[(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)amino]ethyl}benzamide(known from WO2005085216).

Safeners are preferably selected from the group consisting of:

-   S1) compounds of the formula (S1

where the symbols and indices are each defined as follows:

-   n_(A) is a natural number from 0 to 5, preferably 0 to 3;-   R_(A) ¹ is halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, nitro or    (C₁-C₄)-haloalkyl;

-   W_(A) is an unsubstituted or substituted divalent heterocyclic    radical from the group consisting of partially unsaturated or    aromatic five-membered heterocycles having 1 to 3 hetero ring atoms    from the group of N and O, where at least one nitrogen atom and at    most one oxygen atom is present in the ring, preferably a radical    from the group consisting of (W_(A) ¹) to (W_(A) ⁴),-   m_(A) is 0 or 1;-   R_(A) ² is OR_(A) ³, SR_(A) ³ or NR_(A) ³R_(A) ⁴ or a saturated or    unsaturated 3- to 7-membered heterocycle having at least one    nitrogen atom and up to 3 heteroatoms, preferably from the group    consisting of O and S, which is attached via the nitrogen atom to    the carbonyl group in (S1) and which is unsubstituted or substituted    by radicals from the group consisting of (C₁-C₄)-alkyl,    (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy and optionally substituted phenyl, preferably a    radical of the formula OR_(A) ³, NHR_(A) ⁴ or N(CH₃)₂, in particular    of the formula OR_(A) ³;-   R_(A) ³ is hydrogen or an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic    hydrocarbyl radical, preferably having a total of 1 to 18 carbon    atoms;-   R_(A) ⁴ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, (C₁-C₆)-alkoxy or substituted or    unsubstituted phenyl;-   R_(A) ⁵ is H, (C₁-C₅)-alkyl, (C₁-C₅)-haloalkyl,    (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy-(C₁-C₅)-alkyl, cyano or COOR_(A) ⁹ where R_(A) ⁹ is    hydrogen, (C₁-C₅)-alkyl, (C₁-C₅)-haloalkyl,    (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₆)-hydroxyalkyl,    (C₃-C₁₂)-cycloalkyl or tri-(C₁-C₄)-alkylsilyl;-   R_(A) ⁶, R_(A) ⁷, R_(A) ⁸ are the same or different and are each    hydrogen, (C₁-C₅)-alkyl, (C₁-C₈)-haloalkyl, (C₃-C₁₂)-cycloalkyl or    substituted or unsubstituted phenyl;    preferably:-   a) compounds of the type of the    dichlorophenylpyrazoline-3-carboxylic acid (S1^(a)), preferably    compounds such as    1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-5-(ethoxycarbonyl)-5-methyl-2-pyrazoline-3-carboxylic    acid, ethyl    1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-5-(ethoxycarbonyl)-5-methyl-2-pyrazoline-3-carboxylate    (S1-1) (“mefenpyr-diethyl”), and related compounds, as described in    WO-A-91/07874;-   b) derivatives of dichlorophenylpyrazolecarboxylic acid (S1^(b)),    preferably compounds such as ethyl    1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-5-methylpyrazole-3-carboxylate (S1-2), ethyl    1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-5-isopropylpyrazole-3-carboxylate (S1-3),    ethyl    1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-5-(1,1-dimethylethyl)pyrazole-3-carboxylate    (S1-4) and related compounds, as described in EP-A-333 131 and    EP-A-269 806;-   c) derivatives of 1,5-diphenylpyrazole-3-carboxylic acid (S1^(c)),    preferably compounds such as ethyl    1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-5-phenylpyrazole-3-carboxylate (S1-5), methyl    1-(2-chlorophenyl)-5-phenylpyrazole-3-carboxylate (S1-6) and related    compounds, as described, for example, in EP-A-268554;-   d) compounds of the triazolecarboxylic acid type (S1^(d)),    preferably compounds such as fenchlorazole(-ethyl), i.e. ethyl    1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-5-trichloromethyl-(1H)-1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxylate    (S1-7), and related compounds as described in EP-A-174 562 and    EP-A-346 620;-   e) compounds of the 5-benzyl- or 5-phenyl-2-isoxazoline-3-carboxylic    acid or of the 5,5-diphenyl-2-isoxazoline-3-carboxylic acid type    (S1^(e)), preferably compounds such as ethyl    5-(2,4-dichlorobenzyl)-2-isoxazoline-3-carboxylate (S1-8) or ethyl    5-phenyl-2-isoxazoline-3-carboxylate (S1-9) and related compounds as    described in WO-A-91/08202, or 5,5-diphenyl-2-isoxazolinecarboxylic    acid (S1-10) or ethyl 5,5-diphenyl-2-isoxazoline-3-carboxylate    (S1-11) (“isoxadifen-ethyl”) or n-propyl    5,5-diphenyl-2-isoxazoline-3-carboxylate (S1-12) or ethyl    5-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-phenyl-2-isoxazoline-3-carboxylate (S1-13), as    described in patent application WO-A-95/07897.-   S2) Quinoline derivatives of the formula (S2),

where the symbols and indices are each defined as follows:

-   R_(B) ¹ is halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, nitro or    (C₁-C₄)-haloalkyl;-   n_(B) is a natural number from 0 to 5, preferably 0 to 3;-   R_(B) ² is OR_(B) ³, SR_(B) ³ or NR_(B) ³R_(B) ⁴ or a saturated or    unsaturated 3- to 7-membered heterocycle having at least one    nitrogen atom and up to 3 heteroatoms, preferably from the group    consisting of O and S, which is attached via the nitrogen atom to    the carbonyl group in (S2) and which is unsubstituted or substituted    by radicals from the group consisting of (C₁-C₄)-alkyl,    (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy and optionally substituted phenyl, preferably a    radical of the formula OR_(B) ³, NHR_(B) ⁴ or N(CH₃)₂, in particular    of the formula OR_(B) ³;-   R_(B) ³ is hydrogen or an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic    hydrocarbyl radical, preferably having a total of 1 to 18 carbon    atoms;-   R_(B) ⁴ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, (C₁-C₆)-alkoxy or substituted or    unsubstituted phenyl;-   T_(B) is a (C₁- or C₂)-alkanediyl chain which is unsubstituted or    substituted by one or two (C₁-C₄)-alkyl radicals or by    [(C₁-C₃)-alkoxy]carbonyl;    preferably:-   a) compounds of the 8-quinolinoxyacetic acid type (S2^(a)),    preferably 1-methylhexyl (5-chloro-8-quinolinoxy)acetate    (“cloquintocet-mexyl”) (S2-1), 1,3-dimethylbut-1-yl    (5-chloro-8-quinolinoxy)acetate (S2-2), 4-allyloxybutyl    (5-chloro-8-quinolinoxy)acetate (S2-3), 1-allyloxyprop-2-yl    (5-chloro-8-quinolinoxy)acetate (S2-4), ethyl    (5-chloro-8-quinolinoxy)acetate (S2-5), methyl    (5-chloro-8-quinolinoxy)acetate (S2-6), allyl    (5-chloro-8-quinolinoxy)acetate (S2-7),    2-(2-propylideneiminoxy)-1-ethyl (5-chloro-8-quinolinoxy)acetate    (S2-8), 2-oxoprop-1-yl (5-chloro-8-quinolinoxy)acetate (S2-9) and    related compounds, as described in EP-A-86 750, EP-A-94 349 and    EP-A-191 736 or EP-A-0 492 366, and also    (5-chloro-8-quinolinoxy)acetic acid (S2-10), hydrates and salts    thereof, for example the lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium,    magnesium, aluminum, iron, ammonium, quaternary ammonium, sulfonium    or phosphonium salts thereof, as described in WO-A-2002/34048;-   b) compounds of the (5-chloro-8-quinolinoxy)malonic acid type    (S2^(b)), preferably compounds such as diethyl    (5-chloro-8-quinolinoxy)malonate, diallyl    (5-chloro-8-quinolinoxy)malonate, methyl ethyl    (5-chloro-8-quinolinoxy)malonate and related compounds as described    in EP-A-0 582 198.-   S3) Compounds of the formula (S3)

where the symbols and indices are each defined as follows:

-   R_(C) ¹ is (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₄)-haloalkyl, (C₂-C₄)-alkenyl,    (C₂-C₄)-haloalkenyl, (C₃-C₇)-cycloalkyl, preferably dichloromethyl;-   R_(C) ², R_(C) ³ are the same or different and are each hydrogen,    (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₂-C₄)-alkenyl, (C₂-C₄)-alkynyl, (C₁-C₄)-haloalkyl,    (C₂-C₄)-haloalkenyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkylcarbamoyl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl,    (C₂-C₄)-alkenylcarbamoyl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl,    (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, dioxolanyl-(C₁-C₄)-alkyl, thiazolyl,    furyl, furylalkyl, thienyl, piperidyl, substituted or unsubstituted    phenyl, or R_(C) ² and R_(C) ³ together form a substituted or    unsubstituted heterocyclic ring, preferably an oxazolidine,    thiazolidine, piperidine, morpholine, hexahydropyrimidine or    benzoxazine ring; preferably: active ingredients of the    dichloroacetamide type, which are frequently used as pre-emergence    safeners (soil-acting safeners), for example “dichlormid”    (N,N-diallyl-2,2-dichloroacetamide) (S3-1), “R-29148”    (3-dichloroacetyl-2,2,5-trimethyl-1,3-oxazolidine) from Stauffer    (S3-2), “R-28725” (3-dichloroacetyl-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-oxazolidine)    from Stauffer (S3-3), “benoxacor”    (4-dichloroacetyl-3,4-dihydro-3-methyl-2H-1,4-benzoxazine) (S3-4),    “PPG-1292” (N-allyl-N-[(1,3-dioxolan-2-yl)methyl]dichloroacetamide)    from PPG Industries (S3-5), “DKA-24”    (N-allyl-N-[(allylaminocarbonyl)methyl]dichloroacetamide) from    Sagro-Chem (S3-6), “AD-67” or “MON 4660”    (3-dichloroacetyl-1-oxa-3-azaspiro[4,5]decane) from Nitrokemia or    Monsanto (S3-7), “TI-35” (1-dichloroacetylazepane) from TRI-Chemical    RT (S3-8), “diclonon” (dicyclonone) or “BAS145138” or “LAB145138”    (S3-9)    ((RS)-1-dichloroacetyl-3,3,8a-trimethylperhydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrimidin-6-one)    from BASF, “furilazole” or “MON 13900”    ((RS)-3-dichloroacetyl-5-(2-furyl)-2,2-dimethyloxazolidine) (S3-10);    and the (R) isomer thereof (S3-11).-   S4)N-Acylsulfonamides of the formula (S4) and salts thereof,    provided that they are different from the Compound (A) applied    according to the invention use or method of using,

where the symbols and indices are each defined as follows:

-   X_(D) is CH or N;-   R_(D) ¹ is CO—NR_(D) ⁵R_(D) ⁶ or NHCO—R_(D) ⁷;-   R_(D) ² is halogen, (C₁-C₄)-haloalkyl, (C₁-C₄)-haloalkoxy, nitro,    (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)-alkylsulfonyl,    (C₁-C₄)-alkoxycarbonyl or (C₁-C₄)-alkylcarbonyl;-   R_(D) ³ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₂-C₄)-alkenyl or    (C₂-C₄)-alkynyl;-   R_(D) ⁴ is halogen, nitro, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₄)-haloalkyl,    (C₁-C₄)-haloalkoxy, (C₃-C₆)-cycloalkyl, phenyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy,    cyano, (C₁-C₄)-alkylthio, (C₁-C₄)-alkylsulfinyl,    (C₁-C₄)-alkylsulfonyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxycarbonyl or    (C₁-C₄)-alkylcarbonyl;-   R_(D) ⁵ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, (C₃-C₆)-cycloalkyl,    (C₂-C₆)-alkenyl, (C₂-C₆)-alkynyl, (C₅-C₆)-cycloalkenyl, phenyl or 3-    to 6-membered heterocyclyl containing v_(D) heteroatoms from the    group of nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, where the seven latter    radicals are substituted by v_(D) substituents from the group of    halogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆)-haloalkoxy, (C₁-C₂)-alkylsulfinyl,    (C₁-C₂)-alkylsulfonyl, (C₃-C₆)-cycloalkyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxycarbonyl,    (C₁-C₄)-alkylcarbonyl and phenyl, and in the case of cyclic radicals    also (C₁-C₄)-alkyl and (C₁-C₄)-haloalkyl;-   R_(D) ⁶ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, (C₂-C₆)-alkenyl or    (C₂-C₆)-alkynyl, where the three latter radicals are substituted by    v_(D) radicals from the group consisting of halogen, hydroxy,    (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy and (C₁-C₄)-alkylthio, or-   R_(D) ⁵ and R_(D) ⁶ together with the nitrogen atom bearing them    form a pyrrolidinyl or piperidinyl radical;-   R_(D) ⁷ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkylamino, di-(C₁-C₄)-alkylamino,    (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, (C₃-C₆)-cycloalkyl, where the 2 latter radicals are    substituted by v_(D) substituents from the group of halogen,    (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆)-haloalkoxy and (C₁-C₄)-alkylthio, and in the    case of cyclic radicals also (C₁-C₄)-alkyl and (C₁-C₄)-haloalkyl;-   n_(D) is 0, 1 or 2;-   m_(D) is 1 or 2;-   v_(D) is 0, 1, 2 or 3;    among these, preference is given to compounds of the    N-acylsulfonamide type, for example of the formula (S4^(a)) below,    which are known, for example, from WO-A-97/45016

in which

-   R_(D) ⁷ is (C₁-C₆)-alkyl, (C₃-C₆)-cycloalkyl, where the 2 latter    radicals are substituted by v_(D) substituents from the group    consisting of halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₆)-haloalkoxy and    (C₁-C₄)-alkylthio and, in the case of cyclic radicals, also    (C₁-C₄)-alkyl and (C₁-C₄)-haloalkyl;-   R_(D) ⁴ is halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, CF₃;-   m_(D) is 1 or 2;-   v_(D) is 0, 1, 2 or 3;    and also to acylsulfamoylbenzamides, for example of the formula    (S4^(b)) below, which are known, for example, from WO-A-99/16744,

for example those in which

-   R_(D) ⁵=cyclopropyl and (R_(D) ⁴)=5-Cl-2-OMe (S4-2),-   R_(D) ⁵=ethyl and (R_(D) ⁴)=2-OMe (S4-3),-   R_(D) ⁵=isopropyl and (R_(D) ⁴)=5-Cl-2-OMe (S4-4) and-   R_(D) ⁵=isopropyl and (R_(D) ⁴)=2-OMe (S4-5);    and to compounds of the N-acylsulfamoylphenylurea type, of the    formula (S4c), which are known, for example, from EP-A-365484,

in which

-   R_(D) ⁸ and R_(D) ⁹ are each independently hydrogen, (C₁-C₅)-alkyl,    (C₃-C₅)-cycloalkyl, (C₃-C₆)-alkenyl, (C₃-C₆)-alkynyl,-   R_(D) ⁴ is halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, CF₃,-   m_(D) is 1 or 2;    for example-   1-[4-(N-2-methoxybenzoylsulfamoyl)phenyl]-3-methylurea,-   1-[4-(N-2-methoxybenzoylsulfamoyl)phenyl]-3,3-dimethylurea,-   1-[4-(N-4,5-dimethylbenzoylsulfamoyl)phenyl]-3-methylurea.-   S5) Active ingredients from the class of the hydroxyaromatics and    the aromatic-aliphatic carboxylic acid derivatives (S5), for example    ethyl 3,4,5-triacetoxybenzoate, 3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxybenzoic acid,    3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 4-hydroxysalicylic acid,    4-fluorosalicyclic acid, 2-hydroxycinnamic acid,    2,4-dichlorocinnamic acid, as described in WO-A-2004/084631,    WO-A-2005/015994, WO-A-2005/016001.-   S6) Active ingredients from the class of the    1,2-dihydroquinoxalin-2-ones (S6), for example    1-methyl-3-(2-thienyl)-1,2-dihydroquinoxalin-2-one,    1-methyl-3-(2-thienyl)-1,2-dihydroquinoxaline-2-thione,    1-(2-aminoethyl)-3-(2-thienyl)-1,2-dihydroquinoxalin-2-one    hydrochloride,    1-(2-methylsulfonylaminoethyl)-3-(2-thienyl)-1,2-dihydroquinoxalin-2-one,    as described in WO-A-2005/112630.-   S7) Compounds of the formula (S7), as described in WO-A-1998/38856,

where the symbols and indices are each defined as follows:

-   R_(E) ¹, R_(E) ² are each independently halogen, (C₁-C₄)alkyl,    (C₁-C₄)alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)haloalkyl, (C₁-C₄)alkylamino,    di-(C₁-C₄)alkylamino, nitro;-   A_(E) is COOR_(E) ³ or COSR_(E) ⁴-   R_(E) ³, R_(E) ⁴ are each independently hydrogen, (C₁-C₄)alkyl,    (C₂-C₆)alkenyl, (C₂-C₄)alkynyl, cyanoalkyl, (C₁-C₄)haloalkyl,    phenyl, nitrophenyl, benzyl, halobenzyl, pyridinylalkyl and    alkylammonium,-   n_(E) ¹ is 0 or 1;-   n_(E) ², n_(E) ³ are each independently 0, 1 or 2,    preferably diphenylmethoxyacetic acid, ethyl diphenylmethoxyacetate,    methyl diphenylmethoxyacetate (CAS reg. no. 41858-19-9) (S7-1).-   S8) Compounds of the formula (S8), as described in WO-A-98/27049,

in which

-   X_(F) is CH or N,-   n_(F) if X_(F)=N is an integer from 0 to 4 and    -   if X_(F)=CH is an integer from 0 to 5,-   R_(F) ¹ is halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₄)-haloalkyl,    (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)-haloalkoxy, nitro, (C₁-C₄)-alkylthio,    (C₁-C₄)-alkylsulfonyl, (C₁-C₄)-alkoxycarbonyl, optionally    substituted phenyl, optionally substituted phenoxy,-   R_(F) ² is hydrogen or (C₁-C₄)-alkyl,-   R_(F) ³ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₈)-alkyl, (C₂-C₄)-alkenyl, (C₂-C₄)-alkynyl    or aryl, where each of the carbon-containing radicals mentioned    above is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, preferably by    up to three, identical or different radicals from the group    consisting of halogen and alkoxy; or salts thereof,    preferably compounds in which-   X_(F) is CH,-   n_(F) is an integer from 0 to 2,-   R_(F) ¹ is halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, (C₁-C₄)-haloalkyl,    (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)-haloalkoxy,-   R_(F) ² is hydrogen or (C₁-C₄)-alkyl,-   R_(F) ³ is hydrogen, (C₁-C₈)-alkyl, (C₂-C₄)-alkenyl, (C₂-C₄)-alkynyl    or aryl, where each of the aforementioned carbon-containing radicals    is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, preferably by up to    three, identical or different radicals from the group consisting of    halogen and alkoxy; or salts thereof.-   S9) Active ingredients from the class of the    3-(5-tetrazolylcarbonyl)-2-quinolones (S9), for example    1,2-dihydro-4-hydroxy-1-ethyl-3-(5-tetrazolylcarbonyl)-2-quinolone    (CAS reg. no.: 219479-18-2),    1,2-dihydro-4-hydroxy-1-methyl-3-(5-tetrazolylcarbonyl)-2-quinolone    (CAS reg. no.: 95855-00-8), as described in WO-A-1999/000020.-   S10) Compounds of the formula (S10^(a)) or (S10^(b))    -   as described in WO-A-2007/023719 and WO-A-2007/023764

in which

-   R_(G1) is halogen, (C₁-C₄)-alkyl, methoxy, nitro, cyano, CF₃, OCF₃-   Y_(G), Z_(G) are each independently O or S,-   n_(G) is an integer from 0 to 4,-   R_(G2) is (C₁-C₁₆)-alkyl, (C₂-C₆)-alkenyl, (C₃-C₆)-cycloalkyl, aryl;    benzyl, halobenzyl,-   R_(G3) is hydrogen or (C₁-C₆)-alkyl.-   S11) Active ingredients of the oxyimino compound type (S11), which    are known as seed-dressing compositions, for example “oxabetrinil”    ((Z)-1,3-dioxolan-2-yl-methoxyimino(phenyl)acetonitrile) (S11-1),    which is known as a seed-dressing safener for millet against damage    by metolachlor, “fluxofenim”    (1-(4-chlorophenyl)-2,2,2-trifluoro-1-ethanone    O-(1,3-dioxolan-2-ylmethyl) oxime) (S11-2), which is known as a    seed-dressing safener for millet against damage by metolachlor, and    “cyometrinil” or “CGA-43089”    ((Z)-cyanomethoxy-imino(phenyl)acetonitrile) (S11-3), which is known    as a seed-dressing safener for millet against damage by metolachlor.-   S12) Active ingredients from the class of the isothiochromanones    (S12), for example methyl    [(3-oxo-1H-2-benzothiopyran-4(3H)-ylidene)methoxy]acetate (CAS reg.    no.: 205121-04-6) (S12-1) and related compounds from    WO-A-1998/13361.-   S13) One or more compounds from group (S13): “naphthalic anhydride”    (1,8-naphthalenedicarboxylic anhydride) (S13-1), which is known as a    seed-dressing safener for corn against damage by thiocarbamate    herbicides, “fenclorim” (4,6-dichloro-2-phenylpyrimidine) (S13-2),    which is known as a safener for pretilachlor in sown rice,    “flurazole” (benzyl    2-chloro-4-trifluoromethyl-1,3-thiazole-5-carboxylate) (S13-3),    which is known as a seed-dressing safener for millet against damage    by alachlor and metolachlor, “CL 304415” (CAS reg. no. 31541-57-8)    (4-carboxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-1-benzopyran-4-acetic acid) (S13-4) from    American Cyanamid, which is known as a safener for corn against    damage by imidazolinones, “MG 191” (CAS reg. no. 96420-72-3)    (2-dichloromethyl-2-methyl-1,3-dioxolane) (S13-5) from Nitrokemia,    which is known as a safener for corn, “MG-838” (CAS reg. no.    133993-74-5) (2-propenyl    1-oxa-4-azaspiro[4.5]decane-4-carbodithioate) (S13-6) from    Nitrokemia, “disulfoton” (O,O-diethyl S-2-ethylthioethyl    phosphorodithioate) (S13-7), “dietholate” (O,O-diethyl    O-phenylphosphorothioate) (S13-8), “mephenate” (4-chlorophenyl    methyl carbamate) (S13-9).-   S14) Active ingredients which, in addition to herbicidal action    against harmful plants, also have safener action on crop plants such    as rice, for example “dimepiperate” or “MY-93”    (S-1-methyl-1-phenylethylpiperidine-1-carbothioate), which is known    as a safener for rice against damage by the herbicide molinate,    “daimuron” or “SK 23” (1-(1-methyl-1-phenylethyl)-3-p-tolylurea),    which is known as a safener for rice against damage by the herbicide    imazosulfuron, “cumyluron”=“JC-940”    (3-(2-chlorophenylmethyl)-1-(1-methyl-1-phenylethyl)urea, see    JP-A-60087254), which is known as a safener for rice against damage    by some herbicides, “methoxyphenon” or “NK 049”    (3,3′-dimethyl-4-methoxybenzophenone), which is known as a safener    for rice against damage by some herbicides, “CSB”    (1-bromo-4-(chloromethylsulfonyl)benzene) from Kumiai, (CAS reg. no.    54091-06-4), which is known as a safener against damage by some    herbicides in rice.-   S15) Compounds of the formula (S15) or tautomers thereof    -   as described in WO-A-2008/131861 and WO-A-2008/131860

-   -   in which

-   R_(H) ¹ is a (C₁-C₆)haloalkyl radical and

-   R_(H) ² is hydrogen or halogen and

-   R_(H) ³, R_(H) ⁴ are each independently hydrogen, (C₁-C₁₆)alkyl,    (C₂-C₁₆)alkenyl or (C₂-C₁₆)alkynyl, where each of the 3 latter    radicals is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals    from the group of halogen, hydroxyl, cyano, (C₁-C₄)alkoxy,    (C₁-C₄)haloalkoxy, (C₁-C₄)alkylthio, (C₁-C₄)alkylamino,    di[(C₁-C₄)alkyl]amino, [(C₁-C₄)alkoxy]carbonyl,    [(C₁-C₄)haloalkoxy]carbonyl, (C₃-C₆)cycloalkyl which is    unsubstituted or substituted, phenyl which is unsubstituted or    substituted, and heterocyclyl which is unsubstituted or substituted,    or (C₃-C₆)cycloalkyl, (C₄-C₆)cycloalkenyl, (C₃-C₆)cycloalkyl which    is fused on one side of the ring to a 4- to 6-membered saturated or    unsaturated carbocyclic ring, or (C₄-C₆)cycloalkenyl which is fused    on one side of the ring to a 4- to 6-membered saturated or    unsaturated carbocyclic ring, where each of the 4 latter radicals is    unsubstituted or substituted by one or more radicals from the group    of halogen, hydroxyl, cyano, (C₁-C₄)alkyl, (C₁-C₄)haloalkyl,    (C₁-C₄)alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)haloalkoxy, (C₁-C₄)alkylthio,    (C₁-C₄)alkylamino, di[(C₁-C₄)alkyl]amino, [(C₁-C₄)alkoxy]carbonyl,    [(C₁-C₄)haloalkoxy]carbonyl, (C₃-C₆)cycloalkyl which is    unsubstituted or substituted, phenyl which is unsubstituted or    substituted, and heterocyclyl which is unsubstituted or substituted,    or

-   R_(H) ³ is (C₁-C₄)-alkoxy, (C₂-C₄)alkenyloxy, (C₂-C₆)alkynyloxy or    (C₂-C₄)haloalkoxy and

-   R_(H) ⁴ is hydrogen or (C₁-C₄)-alkyl or

-   R_(H) ³ and R_(H) ⁴ together with the directly bonded nitrogen atom    are a four- to eight-membered heterocyclic ring which, in addition    to the nitrogen atom, may also contain further ring heteroatoms,    preferably up to two further ring heteroatoms from the group of N, O    and S, and which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more    radicals from the group of halogen, cyano, nitro, (C₁-C₄)alkyl,    (C₁-C₄)haloalkyl, (C₁-C₄)alkoxy, (C₁-C₄)haloalkoxy and    (C₁-C₄)alkylthio.

-   S16) Active ingredients which are used primarily as herbicides but    also have safener action on crop plants, for example    (2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid (2,4-D), (4-chlorophenoxy)acetic    acid, (R,S)-2-(4-chloro-o-tolyloxy)propionic acid (mecoprop),    4-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)butyric acid (2,4-DB),    (4-chloro-o-tolyloxy)acetic acid (MCPA),    4-(4-chloro-o-tolyloxy)butyric acid, 4-(4-chlorophenoxy)butyric    acid, 3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid (dicamba),    1-(ethoxycarbonyl)ethyl 3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoate    (lactidichlor-ethyl).    Substances which Influence Plant Maturity:

Usable combination partners for the compounds according to formula (I)when used according to present invention in mixture formulations or in atankmix are, for example, known active ingredients based on inhibitionof, for example, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase,1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase and the ethylene receptors,e.g. ETR1, ETR2, ERS1, ERS2 or EIN4, as described, for example, inBiotechn. Adv. 2006, 24, 357-367; Bot. Bull. Acad. Sin. 199, 40, 1-7 orPlant Growth Reg. 1993, 13, 41-46 and literature cited therein.

Examples of known substances which influence plant maturity and can becombined with the inventive compounds include the active ingredientswhich follow (the compounds are designated by the “common name”according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) orby the chemical name or by the code number) and always encompass all useforms, such as acids, salts, esters and isomers, such as stereoisomersand optical isomers. By way of example, one use form and in some cases aplurality of use forms are mentioned:

rhizobitoxine, 2-aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), methoxyvinylglycine(MVG), vinylglycine, aminooxyacetic acid, sinefungin,S-adenosylhomocysteine, 2-keto-4-methyl thiobutyrate,2-(methoxy)-2-oxoethyl (isopropylidene)aminooxyacetate,2-(hexyloxy)-2-oxoethyl (isopropylidene)aminooxyacetate,2-(isopropyloxy)-2-oxoethyl (cyclohexylidene)aminooxyacetate,putrescine, spermidine, spermine, 1,8-diamino-4-aminoethyloctane,L-canaline, daminozide, methyl 1-aminocyclopropyl-1-carboxylate,N-methyl-1-aminocyclopropyl-1-carboxylic acid,1-aminocyclopropyl-1-carboxamide, substituted1-aminocyclopropyl-1-carboxylic acid derivatives as described inDE3335514, EP30287, DE2906507 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,951,1-aminocyclopropyl-1-hydroxamic acid, 1-methylcyclopropene,3-methylcyclopropene, 1-ethylcyclopropene, 1-n-propylcyclopropene,1-cyclopropenylmethanol, carvone, eugenol, sodiumcycloprop-1-en-1-ylacetate, sodium cycloprop-2-en-1-ylacetate, sodium3-(cycloprop-2-en-1-yl)propanoate, sodium3-(cycloprop-1-en-1-yl)propanoate, jasmonic acid, methyl jasmonate,ethyl jasmonate.Substances which Influence Plant Health and Germination:

Usable combination partners for the inventive compounds in mixtureformulations or in a tankmix are, for example, known active ingredientsthat influence plant health or germination. Examples of known substancesinfluencing plant health and germination and can be combined with theinventive compounds include the active ingredients which follow (thecompounds are designated by the “common name” according to theInternational Organization for Standardization (ISO) or by the chemicalname or by the code number) and always encompass all use forms, such asacids, salts, esters and isomers, such as stereoisomers and opticalisomers. By way of example, one use form and in some cases a pluralityof use forms are mentioned): sarcosine, phenyl alanine, tryptophan,N′-methyl-1-phenyl-1-N,N-diethylaminomethanesulfonamide,Apio-galacturonane as described in WO2010017956,4-oxo-4-[(2-phenylethyl)amino]butanoic acid,4-{[2-(1H-indole-3-yl)ethyl]amino}-4-oxobutanoic acid,4-[(3-methylpyridin-2-yl)amino]-4-oxobutanoic acid, allantoine, 5-aminolevulinic acid,(2S,3R)-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromene-3,5,7-triol andstructurally related catechines as described in WO2010122956,2-Hydroxy-4-(methylsulfanyl)butanoic acid,(3E,3aR,8PS)-3-({[(2R)-4-methyl-5-oxo-2,5-dihydrofuran-2-yl]oxy}methylene)-3,3a,4,83-tetrahydro-2H-indeno[1,2-b]furan-2-one and relatedlactons as described in EP2248421, abscisic acid,(2Z,4E)-5-[6-Ethynyl-1-hydroxy-2,6-dimethyl-4-oxocyclohex-2-en-1-yl]-3-methylpenta-2,4-dienoicacid,Methyl-(2Z,4E)-5-[6-ethinyl-1-hydroxy-2,6-dimethyl-4-oxocyclohex-2-en-1-yl]-3-methylpenta-2,4-dienoate

Herbicides or Plant Growth Regulators:

Usable combination partners for the inventive use of compounds offormula (I) in mixture formulations or in a tankmix are, for example,known active ingredients based on inhibition of, for example,acetolactate synthase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, cellulose synthase,enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase, glutamine synthetase,p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase, phytoendesaturase, photosystem I,photosystem II, protoporphyrinogen oxidase, gibberellin biosynthesis, asdescribed, for example, in Weed Research 26 (1986) 441-445 or “ThePesticide Manual”, 15th edition, The British Crop Protection Council andthe Royal Soc. of Chemistry, 2009 and literature cited therein.

Examples of known herbicides or plant growth regulators which can becombined with the inventive compounds include the active ingredientswhich follow (the compounds are designated by the “common name”according to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) orby the chemical name or by the code number) and always encompass all useforms, such as acids, salts, esters and isomers, such as stereoisomersand optical isomers. By way of example, one use form and in some cases aplurality of use forms are mentioned:

Possible mixing partners from the group of herbicides are:

acetochlor, acifluorfen, acifluorfen-sodium, aclonifen, alachlor,allidochlor, alloxydim, alloxydim-sodium, ametryn, amicarbazone,amidochlor, amidosulfuron, aminocyclopyrachlor,aminocyclopyrachlor-potassium, aminocyclopyrachlor-methyl, aminopyralid,amitrole, ammoniumsulfamate, anilofos, asulam, atrazine, azafenidin,azimsulfuron, beflubutamid, benazolin, benazolin-ethyl, benfluralin,benfuresate, bensulfuron, bensulfuron-methyl, bensulide, bentazone,benzobicyclon, benzofenap, bicyclopyrone, bifenox, bilanafos,bilanafos-sodium, bispyribac, bispyribac-sodium, bromacil, bromobutide,bromofenoxim, bromoxynil, bromoxynil-potassium, bromoxynil-heptanoate,bromoxynil-octanoate, bromoxynil-butyrate, busoxinone, butachlor,butafenacil, butamifos, butenachlor, butralin, butroxydim, butylate,cafenstrole, carbetamide, carfentrazone, carfentrazone-ethyl,chloramben, chlorbromuron, chlorfenac, chlorfenac-sodium, chlorfenprop,chlorflurenol, chlorflurenol-methyl, chloridazon, chlorimuron,chlorimuron-ethyl, chlorophthalim, chlorotoluron, chlorthal-dimethyl,chlorsulfuron, cinidon, cinidon-ethyl, cinmethylin, cinosulfuron,clethodim, clodinafop, clodinafop-propargyl, clomazone, clomeprop,clopyralid, cloransulam, cloransulam-methyl, cumyluron, cyanamide,cyanazine, cycloate, cyclosulfamuron, cycloxydim, cyhalofop,cyhalofop-butyl, cyprazine, 2,4-D, 2,4-D-butotyl, -butyl,-dimethylammonium, -diolamin, -ethyl, -2-ethylhexyl, -isobutyl,-isooctyl, -isopropylammonium, -potassium, -triisopropanolammonium and-trolamine, 2,4-DB, 2,4-DB-butyl, -dimethylammonium, -isooctyl,-potassium and -sodium, daimuron (dymron), dalapon, dazomet, n-decanol,desmedipham, detosyl-pyrazolate (DTP), dicamba, dichlobenil,dichlorprop, dichlorprop-P, diclofop, diclofop-methyl,diclofop-P-methyl, diclosulam, difenzoquat, diflufenican, diflufenzopyr,diflufenzopyr-sodium, dimefuron, dimepiperate, dimethachlor,dimethametryn, dimethenamid, dimethenamid-P, dimetrasulfuron,dinitramine, dinoterb, diphenamid, diquat, diquat-dibromid, dithiopyr,diuron, DNOC, endothal, EPTC, esprocarb, ethalfluralin, ethametsulfuron,ethametsulfuron-methyl, ethiozin, ethofumesate, ethoxyfen,ethoxyfen-ethyl, ethoxysulfuron, etobenzanid, F-5331, i.e.N-[2-chloro-4-fluoro-5-[4-(3-fluoropropyl)-4,5-dihydro-5-oxo-1H-tetrazol-1-yl]-phenyl]-ethansulfonamide,F-7967, i.e.3-[7-chloro-5-fluor-2-(trifluoromethyl)-1H-benzimidazol-4-yl]-1-methyl-6-(trifluormethyl)pyrimidin-2,4(1H,3H)-dion,fenoxaprop, fenoxaprop-P, fenoxaprop-ethyl, fenoxaprop-P-ethyl,fenoxasulfone, fentrazamide, flamprop, flamprop-M-isopropyl,flamprop-M-methyl, flazasulfuron, florasulam, fluazifop, fluazifop-P,fluazifop-butyl, fluazifop-P-butyl, flucarbazone, flucarbazone-sodium,flucetosulfuron, fluchloralin, flufenacet (thiafluamide, fluthiamide),flufenpyr, flufenpyr-ethyl, flumetsulam, flumiclorac,flumiclorac-pentyl, flumioxazin, fluometuron, fluoroglycofen,fluoroglycofen-ethyl, flupropanate, flupyrsulfuron,flupyrsulfuron-methyl-sodium, flurenol, flurenol-butyl, fluridone,flurochloridone, fluroxypyr, fluroxypyr-meptyl, flurtamone, fluthiacet,fluthiacet-methyl, fluthiamide, fomesafen, fomesafen-sodium,foramsulfuron, fosamine, glufosinate, glufosinate-ammonium,glufosinate-P, glufosinate-P-ammonium, glufosinate-P-sodium, glyphosate,glyphosate-isopropylammonium, -ammonium, -diammonium, -dimethylammonium,-potassium, -sodium and -trimesium, H-9201, i.e.O-(2,4-Dimethyl-6-nitrophenyl)-O-ethyl-isopropylphosphoramidothioat,halosulfuron, halosulfuron-methyl, haloxyfop, haloxyfop-P,haloxyfop-ethoxyethyl, haloxyfop-P-ethoxyethyl, haloxyfop-methyl,haloxyfop-P-methyl, hexazinone, HW-02, i.e.1-(dimethoxyphosphoryl)-ethyl-(2,4-dichlorphenoxy)acetate,imazamethabenz, Imazamethabenz-methyl, imazamox, imazamox-ammonium,imazapic, imazapic-ammonium, imazapyr, imazapyr-isopropylammonium,imazaquin, imazaquin-ammonium, imazethapyr, imazethapyr-ammonium,imazosulfuron, indanofan, indaziflam, iodosulfuron,iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium, ioxynil, ioxynil-sodium, ioxynil-potassium,ioxynil-octanoate, ipfencarbazone, isoproturon, isouron, isoxaben,isoxaflutole, karbutilate, KUH-043, i.e.3-({[5-(difluoromethyl)-1-methyl-3-(trifluormethyl)-1H-pyrazol-4-yl]methyl}sulfonyl)-5,5-dimethyl-4,5-dihydro-1,2-oxazole,ketospiradox, lactofen, lenacil, linuron, MCPA (salts and esters), MCPB(salts and esters), MCPB-methyl, -ethyl and -sodium, mecoprop,mecoprop-sodium, and -butotyl, mecoprop-P, mecoprop-P-butotyl,-dimethylammonium, -2-ethylhexyl and -potassium, mefenacet, mefluidide,mesosulfuron, mesosulfuron-methyl, mesotrione, metam, metamifop,metamitron, metazachlor, metazosulfuron, methabenzthiazuron,methiopyrisulfuron, methiozolin, methyl isothiocyanate, metobromuron,metolachlor, S-metolachlor, metosulam, metoxuron, metribuzin,metsulfuron, metsulfuron-methyl, molinate, monolinuron, monosulfuron,monosulfuron-ester, MT-128, i.e.6-chloro-N-[(2E)-3-chlorprop-2-en-1-yl]-5-methyl-N-phenylpyridazin-3-amine,MT-5950, i.e. N-[3-chloro-4-(1-methylethyl)-phenyl]-2-methylpentanamide,NGGC-011, napropamide, NC-310, i.e.4-(2,4-Dichlorbenzoyl)-1-methyl-5-benzyloxypyrazol, neburon,nicosulfuron, nonanoic acid, norflurazon, oleic acid (fatty acids),orbencarb, orthosulfamuron, oryzalin, oxadiargyl, oxadiazon,oxasulfuron, oxaziclomefon, oxyfluorfen, paraquat, paraquat dichloride,pebulate, pelargonic acid (Nonansaure), pendimethalin, penoxsulam,pentachlorphenol, pentoxazone, pethoxamid, petroleum oils, phenmedipham,phenmedipham-ethyl, picloram, picolinafen, pinoxaden, piperophos,pretilachlor, primisulfuron, primisulfuron-methyl, prodiamine,prifluraline, profoxydim, prometon, prometryn, propachlor, propanil,propaquizafop, propazine, propham, propisochlor, propoxycarbazone,propoxycarbazone-sodium, propyrisulfuron, propyzamide, prosulfocarb,prosulfuron, pyraclonil, pyraflufen, pyraflufen-ethyl, pyrasulfotole,pyrazolynate (pyrazolate), pyrazosulfuron, pyrazosulfuron-ethyl,pyrazoxyfen, pyribambenz, pyribambenz-isopropyl, pyribambenz-propyl,pyribenzoxim, pyributicarb, pyridafol, pyridate, pyriftalid,pyriminobac, pyriminobac-methyl, pyrimisulfan, pyrithiobac,pyrithiobac-sodium, pyroxasulfone, pyroxsulam, quinclorac, quinmerac,quinoclamine, quizalofop, quizalofop-ethyl, quizalofop-P,quizalofop-P-ethyl, quizalofop-P-tefuryl, rimsulfuron, saflufenacil,sethoxydim, siduron, simazine, simetryn, sulcotrione, sulfentrazone,sulfometuron, sulfometuron-methyl, sulfosate, sulfosulfuron, SW-065,SYN-523, SYP-249, i.e.1-ethoxy-3-methyl-1-oxobut-3-en-2-yl-5-[2-chlor-4-(trifluormethyl)phenoxy]-2-nitrobenzoate,SYP-300, i.e.1-[7-fluoro-3-oxo-4-(prop-2-in-1-yl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-6-yl]-3-propyl-2-thioxoimidazolidin-4,5-dione,TCA (trichloroacetic acid), TCA-sodium, tebuthiuron, tefuryltrione,tembotrione, tepraloxydim, terbacil, terbucarb, terbumeton,terbuthylazin, terbutryn, thenylchlor, thiazopyr, thiencarbazone,thiencarbazone-methyl, thifensulfuron, thifensulfuron-methyl,thiobencarb, topramezone, tralkoxydim, triafamone, triallate,triasulfuron, triaziflam, tribenuron, tribenuron-methyl, triclopyr,trietazine, trifloxysulfuron, trifloxysulfuron-sodium, trifluralin,triflusulfuron, triflusulfuron-methyl, tritosulfuron, urea sulfate,vernolate, ZJ-0862, i.e.3,4-dichloro-N-{2-[(4,6-dimethoxypyrimidin-2-yl)oxy]benzyl}aniline, aswell as the following compounds:

Possible mixing partners from the group of plant-growth regulators are,for example: abscisic acid, acibenzolar, acibenzolar-S-methyl,5-aminolaevulinic acid, ancymidol, 6-benzylaminopurine, brassinolide,catechin, cloprop, cyclanilide, 3-(cycloprop-1-enyl)propionic acid,3-(cycloprop-1-enyl)propionic acid, sodium salt, daminozide, dazomet,n-decanol, dikegulac, dikegulac-sodium, endothal, flumetralin, flurenol,flurenol-butyl, flurprimidol, forchlorfenuron, gibberellic acid,inabenfide, indol-3-acetic acid (IAA), 4-indol-3-ylbutyric acid,isoprothiolane, jasmonic acid, methyl jasmonate, kinetin, maleichydrazide, mepiquat chloride, 1-methylcyclopropene,2-(1-naphthyl)acetamide, 1-naphthylacetic acid, 2-naphthyloxyaceticacid, nitrophenolate-mixture, 4-oxo-4[(2-phenylethyl)amino]butanoicacid, paclobutrazol, N-phenylphthalamic acid, probenazol, prohexadione,prohexadione-calcium, prohydrojasmone, propham, salicylic acid,Strigolacton, tecnazene, thidiazuron, triacontanol, trinexapac,tsitodef, uniconazole, uniconazole-P.

The invention is to be illustrated by the biological examples whichfollow, but without restricting it thereto.

Biological Examples A) Testing Conditions A1) Testing Conditions inGlasshouse Trials

The trials have been carried out in a glasshouse under normal goodgrowth conditions for the plants using pot trials with 8 cm diameterpots. Each pot contained 6-8 plants. The results are the average of tworeplicates.

The applications have been done with seed treatment, pre-emergence orpost-emergence treatments. The pre- or post-emergence applications weremade with spray applications using 100-300 I/water per hectare. The cropplant species and the growth stage of the crop plants at the time ofapplication are reported in the result tables. The dose rates of theherbicidal active ingredients applied alone resp. in combinations arealso mentioned in the result tables.

The assessments have been done via visual ratings (0-100% scale, severaldays after the application as indicated in the result tables, comparingtreated vs. untreated checks pots). The results (as mean over all plantsper pot and as mean over 2 replicates) are shown in the result tablesbelow.

A2) Testing Conditions in Field Trials

The trials have been carried out under natural field conditions (plottrials, 10 square meter plots, 2-4 replications).

The applications have been done with seed treatment, pre- orpost-emergence treatments straight (alone, 1 application) or sequentialtreatments e.g. seed treatment followed by pre-emergence and/orpost-emergence spray applications. The pre- or post-emergenceapplications were made with spray applications using 100-300 I/water perhectare. The growth stage of the crops species at the time ofapplication are reported in the result tables. The dose rates of theherbicidal active ingredients applied alone respective in sequentialapplication are also described in the result tables.

The assessments have been done via visual ratings (0-100% scale) orcounting. The trials have been harvested after crops reached the fullmaturity. After the harvest the total weight of kernels/seeds/beets perplot was measured. The results are reported as means over 2-4replications. The time between applications and assessments orcountings/harvest are described in the result tables as well.

A3) Seed Treatment Conditions

The active ingredients have been applied to the untreated, dry seedstogether with a carrier. After a short period of time to let the seedsdry, they were ready to be sown in the pot or field using standardequipments.

B) Abbreviations in the Result Tables

-   ai=active ingredient (based on 100% active ingredient)-   CPA=cyprsulfamide (Compound (A1) of present invention)-   Dose [g/ai]=dose rates in gram active ingredient per hectare-   EPC=epoxiconazole (F-108 of present invention)-   fb=followed by (sequential applications)-   mg ai/seed=milligrammes active ingredient per seed (per kernel)-   g ai/kg seed=grammes active ingredient per kg seed-   pre-emergence=applied (sprayed) after planting of the seeds (prior    to emergence)-   post-emergence=applied (sprayed) after emergence of the crop plants-   PTC=prothioconazole (F-124 of present invention)-   ST=applied as seed treatment (prior planting)-   TBC=tebuconazole (F-127 of present invention)-   TFS=trifloxystrobin (F-60 of present invention)-   UTC=untreated control-   Yield [t/ha]=harvested grain yield (mature kernels) in metric tons    (1000 kg) per hectare

C) Results in Field Trials

TABLE 1 Grain yield effects on corn (maize) after seed treatment withCyprosulfamide Active Dose ¹⁾ Yield ²⁾ Relative Difference ingredient(s) [mg ai/seed] [t/ha] % (%) vs. UTC (A) UTC — 7.43 100% — (B) Cypro-0.15  8.32 112% +12% sulfamide (C) Cypro- 0.225 8.39 113% +13% sulfamide¹⁾ Application: Seed treatment prior planting ²⁾ Yield: Grain yield atharvest, 110 days after planting (short season variety)

TABLE 2 Germination and emergence of rice plants after seed treatmentswith cyprosulfamide Active Dose ¹⁾ plants/ Difference ingredient (s) [gai/kg seed] 10 m² ²⁾ Relative (%) vs. UTC (A) UTC — 169 100% — (B)Cyprosulfamide 0.5 208 123% +23% ¹⁾ Application: Seet treatment (priorseeding) ²⁾ Assessment: 12 days after emergence

TABLE 3 Grain yield effects on winter wheat—preemergence applicationwith Cyprosulfamide Active Dose ¹⁾ Yield ²⁾ Relative Differenceingredient (s) [g ai/ha] [t/ha] % (%) vs. UTC (A) UTC — 5.30 100% — (B)Cyprosulfamide 100 5.88 111% +11% ¹⁾ Application: Preemergence autumn ²⁾Yield: Grain yield at harvest, 247 days after application

TABLE 4 Grain yield effects on spring wheat—postemergence application ofCyprosulfamide Active Dose ¹⁾ Yield ²⁾ Difference ingredient (s) [gai/ha] [t/ha] Relative (%) vs. UTC (A) UTC — 3.55 100% — (B)Cyprosulfamide 100 3.83 111% +8% ¹⁾ Application: Beginning of emergenceof the ears (GS49) ²⁾ Yield: Grain yield at harvest, 48 days afterapplication

TABLE 5 Grain yield effects on corn—postemergence application ofCyprosulfamide Active Dose ¹⁾ Yield ²⁾ Difference ingredient (s) [gai/ha] [t/ha] Relative (%) vs. UTC (A) UTC — 4.38 100% — (B)Cyprosulfamide 100 5.60 128 % +28% ¹⁾ Application: 6-8 leaves ²⁾ Yield:Grain yield at harvest, 130 days after application

TABLE 6 Yield effects on cotton—postemergence application ofCyprosulfamide Active ingredient Dose ¹⁾ Yield t/ha Difference(%) (s) [gai/ha] (lint) Relative vs. UTC (A) UTC — 0.219 100% — (B) Cyprosulfamide100 0.254 116% +16% ¹⁾ Application: Preflowering (GS 55) ²⁾ Yield: Yieldof cotton lints at harvest, 90 days after application

TABLE 7 Yield effects on spring wheat (gluten content)—postemergenceapplication of Cyprosulfamide Active ingredient Dose ¹⁾ Yield ³⁾ (s) [gai/ha] Yield ²⁾ Relative (A) UTC — 28.4 100% (B) Cyprosulfamide 100 30.9109% ¹⁾ Application: ear emergence ²⁾ Yield: gluten content (absolute)in harvested grains, 35 days after application ³⁾ Yield: relative glutencontent in harvested grains, 35 days after application

TABLE 8 Grain yield effects on soybeans—postemergence application ofCyprosulfamide Active ingredient Dose ¹⁾ Yield ²⁾ Difference(%) (s) [gai/ha] [t/ha] Relative vs. UTC (A) UTC — 2.65 100% — (B) Cyprosulfamide100 2.78 105% +5% ¹⁾ Application: Preflowering (GS 60) ²⁾ Yield: Grainyield at harvest, 45 days after application

TABLE 9 Grain yield effects on canola-sequential application ofCyprosulfamide Active ingredient Yield ²⁾ Difference(%) (s) Dose rate ¹⁾[t/ha] Relative vs. UTC (A) UTC — 2.80 100% — (B) Cyprosulfamide 0.5 gai/kg seed 3.47 124% +24% fb 3 × 50 g ai/ha post ¹⁾ Application: 1. seedtreatment prior planting fb 2. postemergence at 4-6 leaves fb 3.postemergence at stem elongation fb 4. postemergence at beginning offlowering ²⁾ Yield: Grain yield at harvest, 63 days after application

TABLE 10 Grain yield effects on canola—postemergence treatment withCyprosulfamide Active ingredient Dose ¹⁾ Yield ²⁾ Difference(%) (s) [gai/ha] [t/ha] Relative vs. UTC (A) UTC — 2.21 100% — (B) Cyprosulfamide100 2.62 119% +19% ¹⁾ Application: Growth stage (GS 52)—pre flowering ²⁾Yield: Grain yield at harvest, 63 days after treatment

TABLE 11 Grain yield effects on corn—sequential application ofCyprosulfamide Active ingredient Yield ²⁾ Difference(%) (s) Dose ¹⁾[t/ha] Relative vs. UTC (A) UTC — 10.2 100% — (B) Cyprosulfamide 0.15 gai/kg seed 14.1 138% +38% fb 3 × 50 g ai/ha post ¹⁾ Application: 1. seedtreatment prior planting fb 2. postemergence at 2-4 leaves fb 3.postemergence at 6-8 leaves fb 4. postemergence at preflowering ²⁾Yield: Grain yield at harvest, 98 days after emergence

TABLE 12 Yield effects on corn—sequential application of CyprosulfamideActive ingredient Yield ²⁾ Yield ³⁾ (s) Dose ¹⁾ [t/ha] [plants/sqm] (A)UTC — 6.0 14 (B) Cyprosulfamide 0.15 g ai/kg seed 7.5 17.3 fb 3 × 50 gai/ha post ¹⁾ Application: 1. seed treatment prior planting fb 2.postemergence at 2-4 leaves fb 3. postemergence at 6-8 leaves fb 4.postemergence at preflowering ²⁾ Yield: Biomass yield at harvest, 98days after emergence ³⁾ Yield: Plant density at harvest, 98 days afteremergence

TABLE 13 Yield effects on sugarbeet—sequential application ofCyprosulfamide Active ingredient Sugar Yield ²⁾ Yield ³⁾ (s) Dose ¹⁾[kg/ha] [t/ha] (A) UTC — 5778 59.3 (B) Cyprosulfamide 0.15 mg ai/ seed6110 61.3 fb 3 × 50 g ai/ha post ¹⁾ Application: 1. seed treatment priorplanting fb 2. postemergence at 2-4 leaves fb 3. postemergence at 6-8leaves fb 4. postemergence at 10-12 leaves ²⁾ Yield: Sugar yield atharvest, 44 days after last postemergence treatment ³⁾ Yield: yield ofbeets (storage root/body) by weight at harvest, 44 days after lastpostemergence treatment

TABLE 14 Grain yield effects on winter wheat—seed treatment withCyprosulfamide Active Dose ¹⁾ Yield ²⁾ ingredient [g ai/kg [g/1000Difference(%) (s) seed] kernel] Relative vs. UTC (A) UTC — 36.3 100% —(B) Cyprosulfamide 1 39.2 108% +8% ¹⁾ Application: Seed treatment priorplanting ²⁾ Yield: Grain yield at harvest, 290 days after planting

TABLE 15 Grain yield effects on rice—sequential application ofCyprosulfamide Active ingredient Yield ²⁾ Difference(%) (s) Dose rate ¹⁾[t/ha] Relative vs. UTC (A) UTC — 5.47 100% — (B) Cyprosulfamide 0.5 gai/kg seed 5.74 105% +5% fb 3 × 50 g ai/ha post ¹⁾ Application: 1. seedtreatment prior planting fb 2. postemergence at 4-6 leaves fb 3.postemergence at stem elongation fb 4. postemergence at beginning offlowering ²⁾ Yield: Grain yield at harvest, 75 days after lastapplication

TABLE 16 Grain yield effects on spring wheat—postemergence treatmentwith cyprosulfamide (CPA) + epoxiconazole (EPC) Active ingredient Dose¹⁾ Yield ²⁾ Difference(%) (s) [g ai/ha] [t/ha] Relative % vs. UTC (A)UTC — 1.84   100% — (B) EPC 125 2.02 109.7% +9.7% (C) CPA + EPC 100 +125 2.08   113%  +13% ¹⁾ Application: Post-emergence spring—flag leafsheath opening ²⁾ Yield: Grain yield at harvest, 55 days afterapplication

TABLE 17 Grain yield effects on spring wheat—postemergence treatmentwith cyprosulfamide (CPA) + prothioconazole (PTC) + tebuconazole (TBC)Active ingredient Dose ¹⁾ Yield ²⁾ Relative Difference(%) (s) [g ai/ha][t/ha] % vs. UTC (A) UTC — 3.46   100% — (B) PTC + TBC 125 + 125 3.72107.5% +7.5% (C) CPA + 100 + 3.84   111%  +11% (PTC + TBC) (125 + 125)¹⁾ Application: Post-emergence spring—flag leaf sheath opening ²⁾ Yield:Grain yield at harvest, 55 days after application

TABLE 18 Grain yield effects on corn—postemergence treatment withcyprosulfamide (CPA) + (prothioconazole (PTC) + trifloxystrobin (TFS))Active Dose ¹⁾ Yield ²⁾ Difference(%) ingredient (s) [g ai/ha] [t/ha]Relative % vs. UTC (A) UTC — 11.01   100% — (B) (PTC + TFS) (125 + 375)11.37 103.2% +3.2% (C) CPA + 100 + 11.65 105.8% +5.8% (PTC + TFS) (125 +375) ¹⁾ Application: Post-emergence beginning of flowering ²⁾ Yield:Grain yield at harvest, 122 days after application

TABLE 19 Grain yield effects on spring oilseed rape(canola)—postemergence treatment with cyprosulfamide (CPA) +tebuconazole (TBC) Active Dose ¹⁾ Yield ²⁾ Difference(%) ingredient (s)[g ai/ha] [t/ha] Relative % vs. UTC (A) UTC — 3.91   100% — (B) TBC 1503.91 101.8%  +1.8% (B) CPA + TBC 100 + 150 4.52 115.6% +15.6% ¹⁾Application: Post-emergence spring—beginning of flowering ²⁾ Yield:Grain yield at harvest, 92 days after application

TABLE 20 Grain yield effects on spring wheat—postemergence treatmentwith cyprosulfamide (CSA) + (2,4-D + MCPA) Active Dose ¹⁾ Yield ²⁾Difference(%) ingredient (s) [g ai/ha] [t/ha] Relative % vs. UTC (A)(2,4-D + MCPA) (125 + 405) 1.84   100% — (B) CSA + 100 + 2.31 125.5%+25.5% (2,4-D + MCPA) (225 + 405) ¹⁾ Application: Post-emergencespring—beginning of flowering ²⁾ Yield: Grain yield at harvest, 55 daysafter application

1. A method for inducing a growth regulating response in a plant, inwhich the plant grows in a normal habitat, thereby increasing the yieldof such plant, wherein the plant is selected from the group consistingof cereal, canola, soybean, and cotton; wherein the compositioncomprises (a) cyprosulfamide or (b) cyprosulfamide and a fungicideselected from the group consisting of (i) tebuconazole, (ii)epoxiconazole and (iii) difenoconazole; wherein the composition isapplied in a non-phytotoxic amount with respect to the plant beingtreated, wherein the cyprosulfamide is applied in a range of from 25 gto 100 g active substance per hectare and the fungicides (i), (ii), or(iii) when present are applied in a range from 125 g to 375 g activesubstance per hectare.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein thecompositions is applied in combination with one or more compoundsselected from insecticides or plant growth regulators.
 3. The method asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the composition comprises (a) cyprosulfamideas the only agriculturally active component.
 4. The method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the composition comprises (a) cyprosulfamide and (i)tebuconazole as the only agriculturally active components.
 5. The methodas claimed in claim 1, wherein the composition comprises (a)cyprosulfamide and (ii) epoxiconazole as the only agriculturally activecomponents.
 6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the compositioncomprises (a) cyprosulfamide and (iii) difenoconazole as the onlyagriculturally active components.
 7. The method according to claim 1,wherein the plant is wheat or corn.
 8. The method according to claim 1,wherein the applying is to a plant, a seed from which the plants grows,and/or or locus in which the plants grows, wherein the treated plant isnot under disease pressure.
 9. The method according to claim 1, whereinthe applying is to a plant, a seed from which the plants grows, and/oror locus in which the plants grows seed, wherein the treated plant growsin the absence of abiotic stress conditions.
 10. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the applying is to a plant, a seed from which theplants grows, and/or or locus in which the plants grows, wherein thetreated plant grows in the absence of extraordinary environmentalconditions.